Corporates Get Behind First Carolina NetWALK

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- First Carolina Corporate employees recently completed an original wellness plan that combined fitness with education about the corporate system.<p>The corporate's wellness committee members created NetWALK, an employee fitness initiative, which logged and combined each employee's steps into a group effort. After four months' effort, 28 First Carolina employees collectively walked 9,241 miles as of Sept. 1, enough to reach every corporate.</p><p>"Originally, it was just going to be to U.S. Central and back, but everybody wanted to do it, and we quickly realized it would only take about a week," said Ruth Chu, operations analyst and wellness committee member who spearheaded the effort.</p><p>"So, we decided to hit all the corporates. We got a U.S. map, calculated mileage, and got pedometers for everyone," she said.</p><p>The map was posted in the employee break room to record the group's progress. A "where are they now" interactive flash map was also featured on the corporate's Web site (www.firstcarolina.org), which included information about each corporate reached. </p><p>Staff also received an e-mail alert when each corporate location was reached, which included educational information about the corporate and encouraging messages from peers.</p><p>"We e-mailed the other corporates when we started, and asked if they would like to participate," said Kecia Brooks, vice president of member communications. "All replied with well wishes, and 18 of them sent packages that included hats, t-shirts, lip balm, visors, water bottles, all with corporate logos. In fact, I just saw one of our employees wearing another corporate's shirt today." </p><p>The corporate also competed in a related event called "lose David," in which employees attempted to collectively lose the body weight of President/CEO David Brehmer. </p><p>--handerson@cutimes.com</p>