Fond du Lac Celebrates Well City Designation

Fond du Lac, WI – For the past 3 years almost 30 employers in Fond du Lac have been working towards their own Well Workplace designation as a through WELCOA as helping Fond du Lac achieve Well City status. Well City is an initiative based around WELCOA’s Well-Workplace Award, designed to engage entire business communities in improving the health and well-being of their workforce. Fond du Lac business and community leaders have come together to engage in Well City Fond du Lac to help make the Fond du Lac workforce one of the healthiest in America by developing and delivering results-oriented, evidence-based health promotion programs at their worksites. A celebration was held recently at the Holiday Inn Conference Center to acknowledge employers that worked to help FDL receive its Bronze Well City Designation.

Leading the efforts, with assistance from Jessica Raddemann-Executive Director of the Wellness Council of Wisconsin, was Jeff Butz, Wellness Director at FABOH and Larry Richardson, Executive Director of FABOH who served as the Well City Advisory Chair. In addition, multiple committees supported the efforts led by local business leaders:

• Marketing and Communications – Jennifer Walters-Aurora Health Care
• Training and Resources – Jayne Tettenborn-Agnesian HealthCare
• Project Management/Mentoring – Caitlin Buretta-In Balance LLC
• Fundraising and Sponsorship – Gary Thorpe-Lutheran Homes & Health Services and   

   Marian Sheridan-FDL School District

• Recruitment Aaron Sadoff-NFDL

To meet Well City status, a certain percent of the workforce must participate and within each company the must meet certain requirements including participation in health risk appraisals, biometric screenings and wellness activities.

There are many reasons that a city would want to attain this designation. As a community, Fond du Lac is ranked 51st out of 72 Wisconsin counties regarding health behaviors (including smoking, diet and exercise, alcohol use).  Employer-sponsored health insurance premiums have more than doubled in the past nine years, a rate three times faster than cumulative wage increases. Unhealthy workers utilize a disproportionate share of health plan benefits. By encouraging wellness programs in the workplace, Fond du Lac will benefit by healthier employees which leads to a healthier community. Over 7500 Fond du Lac County employees have participated so far. This will be an on-going effort for Fond du Lac to retain its designation.

Employers that have completed the requirements and have attained Well Workplace Designation include the following:

Verve, a Credit Union

Society Insurance

Aurora Health Care

Agnesian HealthCare

Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce

Sadoff and Rudoy

Horicon Bank

City of Fond du Lac

Holiday Automotive

Fond du Lac YMCA

Fond du Lac County

FCEDC

Hierl Insurance

Mid-States Aluminum

Guaranty Service Group, Inc.

Moraine Park Technical College

wisnet.com

Buechel Stone

Adult Care Consultants

The School District of North Fond du Lac

Fond du Lac School District

Fives Giddings & Lewis

Fond du Lac Convention and Visitors Bureau

Jackson Kahl

Lutheran Homes and Health Services

Fox Valley Savings Bank

Included in the celebration was a proclamation from the City of Fond du Lac by City Manager Joe Moore and one from Fond du Lac County from County Executive Alan Buechel. Also in attendance was Ryan Picarella, President, WELCOA.

 

Ryan Picarella, President of WELCOA presents Well City awards to Larry Richardon and Jeff Butz of FABOH