September 2011 - Parks & Recreation - 42

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by having wellness screenings, dental and eye exams, annual physicals, flu
shots, or by attending workout sessions,
smoking cessation classes, or wellness
seminars. In addition, the city actively
partners with individuals, companies, and
community health care providers to provide an all-encompassing program with
the hope that the City of McMinnville employees and their families will become
more proactive in their lifestyle choices.
The City of San Clemente, California, Beaches, Parks and Recreation Department started an employee wellness

program almost a decade ago to improve the quality of each employee's life,
at work and at home. Staff arranged for
discount rates at local health clubs, purchased and set up workout facilities in
multiple locations in the city, and gave
incentives in the form of gift certificates,
fitness gear, parking permits, and vacation trips. Recently, the Human Resources
Department has taken over the program
and continues to offer incentives and discounts for eligible employees. Because
of the policies the city has implemented,
employees are able to enjoy the active
lifestyle that San Clemente offers.
Building a healthier community does
not have to be difficult, but it does require
leadership, partnership, and, at times,
imagination. By addressing the ways people act, eat, and move while at work, park
and recreation agencies have the ability
to impact adults in meaningful, positive
and healthy ways.
NRPA will be hosting a webinar on this
topic entitled " Healthy Worksites, Happy
Employees " at 2:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday,
November 15th. Please visit www.nrpa.
org/webinars/ to register.
For more information on worksite wellness, as well as numerous example policies, please visit the following sites:
■■ ■www.WELCOA.org
■■ ■www.activatequadcities.org/
creatingahealthyworkplace.html
■■ ■www.CanDoOnline.org/worksites
NRPA supports communities that are
implementing successful practices to promote health and wellness. For more information on these programs, please visit
www.nrpa.org/achieve or www.nrpa.org/
cppw.
MAGGIE COOPER is NRPA Health and

see us in atlanta at booth #2211

40 Parks & Recreation

SEPTEMBER 2011

www.NRPA .ORG

Wellness Program Manager.

shutterstock

policies that require healthy food options
at all catered meetings and events or ban
unhealthy food from vending machines
and snack bars. Worksites can address
tobacco use by paying for cessation products or classes. Worksites often make environmental changes to their offices by
providing adequate space for breastfeeding mothers or stress-free zones for employees to take breaks.
Over the past decade, the City of McMinnville, Tennessee, recognized the
growing increase in healthcare costs
and became proactive in looking for new
ways to combat those rising costs. In the
spring of 2008, the City of McMinnville's A
Healthy Tomorrow Begins Today Employee Wellness Program was launched. The
program works on a points system and
rewards employees with additional paid
time off or monetary credits towards insurance costs. Employees can gain points

Something as simple as creating
attractive and safe stairwells
or allowing time during the
work day for exercise
can increase
physical activity.

September 2011 - Parks & Recreation

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