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County Council recognizes 2009 Live Well Challenge winners
Summary
Top teams receive honors for taking charge of their health
Story
The Metropolitan King County Council today acknowledged the commitment of two outstanding teams who participated in the County’s fourth annual Live Well Challenge, a team-based event designed to help King County employees form healthy habits by eating smarter, getting more exercise, reducing stress and quitting tobacco.95 teams and 540 people participated in this year’s Challenge, with the top honors going to the Snap Pea Dragons and Mick & Team Spirit UP.
“The Live Well Challenge has given thousands of King County employees the motivational boost they need to kick-start their own journeys toward better health,” said Councilmember Julia Patterson, chair of the King County Board of Health. “I am proud of both of these teams and everyone who participated in this year’s Challenge for their leadership in making strides toward a healthier workforce in King County.”
“One of the keys to reducing the county’s health care costs is empowering employees to take control of their health,” said County Executive Kurt Triplett. “These teams set an example for all of us about how eating smart and moving more can be fun and rewarding, not only for individuals but for the county as a whole.”
The Snap Pea Dragons, a 9-member team of employees from the North Public Health Center in Seattle, includes Team Captain Christy An, and team members Freed Aguilar, Angel Castaneda, Shuchil Changan, Mai Kwan, Michael Lippman, Marciano Rodriguez, Kristen Wilson-Weiberg and Jean Yu. To help their team rise above the competition this year, each member participated in weekly health-focused group activities including recipe swaps, lunch time walks, jumping jacks, hula hoop and arm wrestling competitions.
2009 was the first year that spouses and domestic partners were able to participate in the Challenge, and Mick and Team Spirit UP became the Challenge’s first “Couples Team” champion. King County employee Tina Miller of the Department of Natural Resources and Parks was joined by her husband to help the couple climb to the top of the ranks this year. Together, they got creative to earn their weekly points for eating fruits and vegetables by making salads each day and blending “green drinks,” consisting of whatever fruits and vegetables they had in the kitchen.
The Live Well Challenge is a program of the King County Health Reform Initiative (HRI), which aims to reduce rising health care costs by improving the health of employees and their families. Since the HRI began four years ago, King County has spent $18 million less than projected on employee health care costs, and those covered by County health care benefits have made statistically significant improvements in 12 out of 14 health indicators including body weight, cholesterol, blood pressure, smoking, and managing stress. King County also has one of the highest rates of participation in employee wellness programs at more than 90 percent.
Councilmember Julia Patterson with the 2009 "Live Well" Challenge winners
(l) Snap Pea Dragons and (r) Mick & Team Spirit UP