STATE EMPLOYEES ACCUMULATE ENOUGH ACTIVITY TO COMPLETE SIX ROUND TRIPS BETWEEN CONCORD AND SAN DIEGO!

The first ever Commissioner's Challenge was held during Walk NH Week June 1-7 and a reported 1,414 State of New Hampshire Employees documented physical activity in their daily routines totaling 31,597 miles. To incorporate other physical activities that may not be covering distances, such as gardening, the rule was that 20 minutes of activity totaled a mile. Fifteen State Agency Wellness Coordinators registered their agency into the Challenge and recruited employees competing against other agencies of similar sizes. The 15 agencies included Racing and Charitable Gaming, Administrative Services, Legislative Branch, Corrections, Insurance, Education, Environmental Services, Health and Human Services, Treasury, Fish and Game, Cultural Resources, Employment Security, Transportation, Safety, and the Department of Resources and Economic Development.

The week at a glance: The Commissioner's Challenge started out lovely - sunny and warm, but by midweek sweltering temperatures brought in periods of rain into the weekend. Although fewer Agencies than expected were able to participate, Agency Wellness Coordinator's reported that a great time was had by all. Some coordinators told us that they and/or employees in their agency teams plan to be physically active throughout the summer and are already asking about the next Challenge. Among the feedback from employees, one story was truly inspiring from an employee with the Department of Employment Security: "I didn't realize it at the time, but I needed this challenge. At first I thought, "I can't contribute to this, I am handicapped, I'm on meds, and I use two different inhalers to assist with breathing. I cannot stand or walk more than five minutes at a time. Then I remembered my doctor asking me to try to increase activity any way that works for me. So then, his advice coupled with the Commissioner's Challenge got me thinking positively. So I dug the stationary bicycle out of storage, dusted it off and gave it a try. I managed to get seven minutes in, so I did two more sessions and got my first twenty minutes in so I could put an X next to my name. Over the rest of the week I got four more X's in for a total of five (100 minutes) but the best news is that it got me started on a new healthy habit which I plan to continue."

Winning Agencies!: Agencies were awarded in three groups (Agency employee sizes 1-99, 100-999, 1000-3500) over two categories: Agencies with (1) the largest percentage of participants and (2) the greatest percentage of miles. Congratulations to the winning agencies in the 1-99 group (1) and (2) Treasury. Congratulations to the winning agencies in the 100-999 group (1) Employment Security, (2) Environmental Services. Congratulations to the winning agencies in the 1000-3500 group (1) Transportation, (2) Health and Human Services.

KEEP ACTIVE! We hope the Commissioner's Challenge has inspired state employees to start (or keep) active regularly. To keep up the motivation, Walk New Hampshire's ongoing program is designed to do just that! Employees can choose to walk either 70 miles (the width of NH) or 190 miles (the length of NH). There are also team options for children and families. Each program participant receives a logbook to record their miles walked. When individuals reach their chosen goals, they'll receive an 'I Walked NH' patch and a certificate signed by Governor and First Lady Susan Lynch, MD.

Take a step today! Check out the ongoing Walk NH program. It's sure to help set you on a path to a healthier lifestyle. You'll be glad you did!
 

For more information about our ongoing WalkNH program, click here.

Funding support for Walk NH Week 2010 generously provided by: