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SITKA - The Sitka Employee Wellness Coalition has honored the City and Borough of Sitka with its Well Workplace of the Month award for May. The monthly award recognizes the efforts of Sitka organizations that promote employee wellness within their worksites.

The city's employee wellness program evolved after employees took a health risk appraisal through their insurance carrier. After the appraisal, the Wellness Committee decided to do an employee-wide survey to see what direction the committee needed to take so it could benefit everyone. The first event was a walking program, which included several free pedometers donated by the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium.

"It has been successful with almost 50 employees participating," said Wellness Committee leaders Brenda Calkins, Melissa Henshaw and Tammy O'Neill. The committee is looking into a park-and-walk for this summer, and hopes to come up with other promotions for the fall and winter.

"It is exciting to be part of a program that increases employees' awareness and provides opportunities to aid them in leading a healthier lifestyle," the three Wellness Committee leaders said.

The Sitka Employee Wellness Coalition is a community-wide organization promoting workplace wellness and the group is open to all Sitka workplaces interested in designing and implementing effective employee wellness plans.

The coalition was created as a follow-up to the Working Well in Alaska employee wellness training seminar held in September in Sitka, and is co-sponsored by SEARHC, Sitka Community Hospital and the SEARHC Steps to a Healthier Southeast Alaska program. The coalition's next meeting takes place from 3-4:30 p.m. on May 22 at Harrigan Centennial Hall.

For more information on the Sitka Employee Wellness Coalition, contact Doug Osborne of SEARHC Health Promotion at 966-8734 or Elisabeth Crane of Sitka Community Hospital at 907-747-1721.