Coalition for Greater Wellness PR Campaign - Introducing Eat Well Live Well to Wal-Mart Superstore...

8/14/2019 Coalition for Greater Wellness PR Campaign - Introducing Eat Well Live Well to Wal-Mart Superstore Employees in

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743 Kimball Drive

Rochester, NY 14623

Phone: 585-475-1234

Fax: 585-475-1235

www.cgw.com

January 15, 2008

Dear Human Resource Professional,

Two of three American adults are overweight, with extra pounds that lead to diabetes, cardiovascular

disease, and other health problems. In fact, each year American companies spend billions of dollars on

health-care related expenses and disabilities resulting from preventable problems such as alcoholism, drug

addiction, smoking, obesity, high cholesterol, and hypertension. Undesired premature retirements or early

deaths due to correctable health problems should not be routinely expected in your company. A properly

organized and implemented wellness program is a logical alternative to the needless waste of valuable

human resources.

The Coalition for Greater Wellness in Rochester is striving to inform human resource professionals across

the greater Rochester area of the value and benefits of employee wellness programs. Fortunately, there are

many employee wellness-related programs and challenges designed to kick-start better exercise and eating

habits, as well as consulting firms available for more professional and customizable fitness programs that

are individual to each company. The problem is making the first stepwhich is why we strongly encourage

your company to participate in the 8-week Eat Well Live Well. Challenge.

We know people want healthy habits, but good intentions can be defeated if theyre not easy to follow

through in daily life. The gains and losses of thousands of people who have signed on for one of the

nations most innovative health initiatives just keep piling up. Pounds and inches go down, and stamina and

health improvements go up when people do the Eat Well Live Well Challenge created six years ago by

Wegmans Food Markets Inc. The Challenge asks participants to do two simple things each day for eight

weeks: report cups of fruits and vegetables eaten and steps taken using a pedometer. The Challenge is

designed to be easy, fun, and motivationalso people can stick with the changes for at least eight weeks

or, better yet, permanently. As a result, they become more aware of what they eat and how much they move

as they strive for 5 cups of fruits and vegetables and 10,000 steps a day.

Challengeparticipants arent asked to track their weight, though many employees have noticed lost pounds

or inches by the end of the Challenge, or had seen such health gains such as lowered blood pressure,

improved cholesterol readings, or relief of lower back pain. After participating in this program, my co-

workers are eating better and moving morea winning combination no matter how you count it. Why not

try the same approach at your workplace? It pays off in new friendships and measureable benefits that

many believe can even have a big impact on our health care system. Its the first step to establishing greater

wellness at your workplace. For more information or to obtain a coordinator today, visit eatwelllivewell.org

or check out the Eat Well, Live Well page of Wegmans.com. To enroll in a similar web-based challenge, at

no cost, visit takesteps.universalhealthcare.com, or visit stepup.excellusbcbs.com.

Challenge yourself!

Karyn Lewis

Public Affairs Director


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743 Kimball Drive

Rochester, NY 14623

Phone: 585-475-1234

Fax: 585-475-1235

www.cgw.com

BACKGROUNDER

The Coalition for Greater Wellness in Rochester, or CGW, is a local not-for-profit organization

dedicated to promoting healthier lifestyles for employees through health promotion initiatives at the

worksite. This organization serves as an umbrella, linking communities together into a supportive network

focused on building workplaces that are dedicated to the health of their employees. The process provides

business leaders and members with the information needed to help organizations build results-oriented

wellness programs that will help employees make better lifestyle choices, which will ultimately have a

positive impact on the organization's bottom line.

Identifying the healthcare needs of todays business professionals has become a major concern for

the Coalition. The organization has worked very closely with companies across the community to develop a

healthy worksite initiative to improve the health and wellness of employees throughout Rochester since

1995.


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743 Kimball Drive

Rochester, NY 14623

Phone: 585-475-1234

Fax: 585-475-1235

www.cgw.com

NEWS RELEASE

January 15, 2008 Contact:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Karyn Lewis, Public Affairs Director

(585) 475-1234

[email protected]

EAT WELL LIVE WELL CHALLENGE HELPS THOUSANDS GET HEALTHIER IN ROCHESTER

The Coalition for Greater Wellness

ROCHESTER, NYThe gains and losses of thousands of people who have signed on for one of the

nations most innovative health initiatives just keep piling up. Pounds and inches go down and stamina and

health improvements go up when people participate in the Eat Well, Live Well Challenge created six

years ago by Wegmans Food Markets Inc. Endorsed by The Coalition for Greater Wellness (CGW) in

Rochester, the Challenge asks participants to do two simple things each day for eight weeks: report cups of

fruits and vegetables eaten and steps taken using a pedometer. As a result, they become more aware of what

they eat and how much they move as they strive for 5 cups of fruits and vegetables and 10,000 steps a day.

Rochester employees who participated so far have walked a total of 2.1 million milesthats like

walking around the earth 88 timeswith the average distance covered by each person 221 miles! They also

ate 1.3 million cups of fruits and vegetables, weighing about 682,587 pounds or 341 tonsthe equivalent

of 85 hippos. The per-person average was 4.2 cups a day.

The Eat Well, Live Well. Challenge was designed to be easy, fun, and motivationalso people

could stick with the changes for at least eight weeks or, better yet, permanently. Challenge participants

werent asked to track their weight, but incidently, many employees noticed they had lost pounds or inches

by the end of the Challenge, or had seen such health gains as lower blood pressure, better cholesterol

readings, or relief of lower back pain. Some participants have even stopped smoking as a result of the

challenge.

-more-


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Page 2 of 2

Though the Eat Well, Live Well Challenge has been designed for employees, individuals who

want to do the Challenge will find everything but the pedometer on the Eat Well, Live Well page of

Wegmans.com.

The website offers this advice to individual participants:

1. Set SPECIFIC goals each day ("Today I am going to walk at least 4,000 steps).2. By using your pedometer (and the "What's A Cup?" information), you can make your goals

completely MEASURABLE.

3. Setting a goal of walking 70,000 steps by the end of week one may not be attainable.Don't sabotage yourself!

4. Be REALISTIC about your goals. If you're currently eating less than one cup of fruit/vegetables,striving for five cups isn't as realistic as striving for two!

5. TRACK your progress no matter how big or small. Even though the Challenge is a competition,continuous improvement is just as important.

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PR Campaign Planning

Introducing Eat Well Live Well to Wal-Mart Superstore Employees in Rochester

Karyn N. Lewis

Public Relations Writing 0535-464-01

Winter 20072

Associate Professor Wilma King


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importance of employee wellness. Specifically, the organization is working to promote the Eat

Well Live Well Challenge, in partnership with Wegmans Food Markets Inc., to all Wal-Mart

Supercenter Store employees in the greater Rochester area.

Background

Each year American companies spend billions of dollars on health-care related expenses and

disabilities resulting from controllable problems such as alcoholism, drug addiction, smoking,

obesity, high cholesterol, and hypertension. According to the New York State Society of CPAs,

researchers have estimated that employers spend up to 25% of their total payroll expenses in an

attempt to recover decreased productivity due to absenteeism and reduced effort relating to

controllable health problems (Violette, 1990).

Studies have clearly demonstrated that smokers, non-exercisers, and overweight individuals have

higher health-care costs and longer hospital stays. This translates into higher health insurance

premiums. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control, more than 50% of all deaths of

people under age 65 are directly attributable to unhealthy lifestyles (Violette, 1990). The link

between heart disease, cancer, and stroke (the top three killer diseases in America today), and an

unhealthy lifestyle, is well proven.

More than 1.5 million Americans, many in the prime of their careers, suffer heart attacks each

year, and more than a third will die from them (Violette, 1990). High blood pressure, which can

lead to stroke, afflicts over 50 million Americans. Together, heart disease, hypertension, and

stroke result in the loss of 29 million workdays each year. Undesired premature retirements or

early deaths due to correctable health problems should not be routinely expected. A properly

organized and implemented wellness program is a logical alternative to the needless waste of

valuable human resources.


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The Eat Well Live Well Challenge is an 8-week program designed by Wegmans Food Markets

Inc. to encourage employees to wear a pedometer each day to count their steps and keep track of

how many cups of fruit and vegetables they eat each daywith the goal of reaching 5 cups and

10,000 steps a day. Participating companies can compete among each other or internally by

departments or teams.

Violette, J. A. (1990, Dec). Employee wellness is good business. The CPA Journal. Retrieved

January 8, 2008, from The CPA Journal Online: http://www.nysscpa.org/cpsjournal

Benefits. An effective wellness program benefits businesses as well as the individuals

participating. Some improvements include: reduced insurance premiums, fewer debilitating

accidents, reduced employee turnover, reduced employee absenteeism, increased productivity,

increased employee satisfaction and motivation, an enhanced community reputation due to the

firm's commitment to employee wellness, a favorable recruiting tool, and an overall enhanced

quality of life for employees both on and off the job.

Arguments.We can't afford it A more appropriate statement may be A business can't afford

not to. Maybe a business can't afford an elaborate in- house fitness facility. But at whatever level

it can afford, an investment in wellness costs far less than the loss of valuable and perhaps

irreplaceable people to preventable disease or injury.

No other similar size company is doing it. Successful companies are often innovators.

Participation will be low. That hasn't been the case for businesses in other industries, regardless

of size. Experience shows that employees want to participate, and will, if the program is properly

implemented. Among other things, this means top management support, concern, and

involvement.


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It's noneof our business. Adverse lifestyles and their consequences cost this country billions of

dollars each year, and employers pay a very large share of these direct and indirect costs. But

more than the money, it is the right thing to do if a company truly cares about its employees.

Simply sending them a memo instructing them to keep fit doesn't work.

AUDIENCE

Key Public

Human resource professionals and employees of Wal-Mart Supercenter stores in the greater

Rochester area, including:

Wal-Mart Supercenter Store #1619

1200 Marketplace Drive

Rochester, NY 14623

(585) 292-6000


2150 Chili Avenue

Rochester, NY 14624

(585) 429-9640


1490 Hudson Avenue

Rochester, NY 14621

(585) 266-2000


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GOALS & OBJECTIVES

Organizational Goal

To enhance awareness of overall health and wellness among Wal-Mart Supercenter store

employees in the greater Rochester area.

Communication Program Objectives

Objective #1:

To increase employees physical activity by increasing the number of steps they take each day

through the tracking of a pedometer.

Objective #2:

To promote healthy eating through behavior change by challenging employees to increase the

number of cups of fruits and vegetables they consume each day, which they also keep track of on

a daily basis.

ACTION STRATEGIES

Policy

Wegmans Food Markets Inc. has developed an information website designed to aid companies in

partaking in the Eat Well Live Well Challenge with tips and resources, as well as tools for

progress reporting and tracking. While this online system is not yet ready for individual

customers, individual companies may join and participate under certain terms and successful

registration. Prior to signing up, each company must determine the company hierarchy for

subdivisions and team structure before teams can be invited to join. Company leaders help to

spearhead the challenge within a company or organization by encouraging the companys team


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leaders and participants to have fun while establishing healthier habits.Company Leaders invite

Team Leaders, who then invite Team Members to partake in the challenge.

Additional Research

A public opinion survey may be useful prior to the implementation of the Eat Well Live Well

Challenge awareness campaign to ensure there is sufficient interest in greater employee health

and wellness among Wal-Mart Supercenter store human resource professionals and employees in

the greater Rochester area.

Branding

The Eat Well Live Well brand slogan and logo is a trademark of Wegmans Food Markets Inc. and

cannot be used without Wegmans Food Markets Inc. permission and approval.

Arrangements

No prior arrangements outside of registration through Wegmans Eat Well Live Well website are

necessary for participation in the Eat Well Live Well Challenge.

COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES

Big Idea

Whether an individual employee is competing against others or just trying to improve their

overall health and wellness, the goal is to gradually increase the steps they take each day until

they reach the ideal of 10,000. Participation is free and easy to set up. The eight-week Eat Well

Live Well Challenge only requires participants to wear a pedometer each day to count their steps,

and to keep track of how many cups of fruits and vegetables they eat each day. Individuals can

enter their information on the Eat Well Live Well website to keep track of their progress and

compete among teammates and even other companies.


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TACTICS/TASKS

Use a series of publications and methods of mass communication to reach Wal-Mart Supercenter

store human resource professionals and employees in the greater Rochester area. The goal is to

encourage employees of the Wal-Mart stores to take interest in the Eat Well Live Well program.

These publications can include letters via direct mail and e-mail, as well as personal

confrontations between area health officials and area Wal-Mart Supercenter store officials and

newsletters in local newspapers and TV news stations and announcements on local radio stations.

BUDGET

Because the Coalition for Greater Wellness in Rochester is a not for profit organization, all

funding is by donation or in partnership with Wegmans Food Market Inc.


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Coalition for Greater Wellness PR Campaign - Introducing Eat Well Live Well to Wal-Mart Superstore...

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