SILVER LINING

The city of Gastonia was recently recognized by the Gaston Together Healthcare Commission for achieving the Healthy Gaston Silver Level. The Healthy Gaston initiative provides organizations with a set of guidelines to help them in building wellness programs for their employees and volunteers. To attain the Silver Level, the second highest level of recognition, an organization must have demonstrated positive steps in the three areas of healthy eating, physical activity and tobacco cessation.

Fifty-three percent of City of Gastonia employees have participated in Healthy Gaston programming at some level, and participation continues to increase monthly. July 2017 saw the introduction of an onsite wellness coordinator, employee walks and fit breaks. Since then, the city has continued adding group walks such as Crowders Mountain hikes and Martha Rivers Park walks, wellness lectures, the Jump Start weight loss program, monthly wellness challenges and stretch breaks.

The Jump Start weight loss program has provided a setting of success for employees who desire to lose weight. One employee has lost more than 20 pounds while participating in the weight loss program. He is walking more and eating healthier. Also, he hasn’t had a soft drink in months. Another employee has lost more than 10 pounds. She is walking, participating in Jump Start, attending group fitness classes like body sculpt and boot camp, and also comes to weekly fit breaks.

The employees look forward to walking each day with friends and coworkers, learning more about wellness through experts at monthly lectures and encouraging each other with each month’s wellness challenge — for example, drink more water, stretch more, and drink less soda. These activities have brought a stronger sense of camaraderie among employees and, at times, some healthy competition.

Healthy Gaston has provided direction in the city of Gastonia’s wellness journey by supporting programs and educating and encouraging employees to move forward in a spirit of wellness.

For more information on the work of the Healthcare Commission or to sign up for the Healthy Gaston Process, contact Donna Lockett, Gaston Together, 704-867-9869, ext. 111, visit www.healthygaston.org or become active on the Healthy Gaston Facebook page.