Active U, Ergo winners saluted at MHealthy event

The second annual recognition event for Active U participants celebrated winners and the positive impact of Michigan Healthy Community activities.

As program leaders look on, Dr. Robert Winfield, chief health officer for the University and director of the U-M Health Service, addresses Active U winners gathered for an awards program at the Power Center for the Performing Arts. The campaign encouraged faculty and staff to record activity minutes and set weekly goals. Photos by Lin Jones, U-M Photo Services.

"I greatly admire Active U participants who achieved substantial fitness goals," said Dr. Robert Winfield, chief health officer for the University and director of the U-M Health Service, opening the hour-long ceremony April 24 at the Power Center for the Performing Arts.

"We're working to create a new culture of health and wellness," Winfield said. "It's the way we should care for each other. We are really in this for the long haul."

A banner mounted high behind the stage proclaimed that more than 7,200 staff participants had logged 9,187,595 activity minutes during the eight-week Active U period, which ended April 3.

Along with the celebration of Active U and the presentation of awards to top participating teams and individuals, Michigan Healthy Community Ergonomic Solutions Awards were presented for the first time. Units were honored based on the significance of the workplace safety challenge and the effectiveness of the ergonomic solution.

"We know we all gain from our active participation, and through our attention to ergonomics and our sense of community," said Laurita Thomas, associate vice president for Human Resources.

Active U team winners were chosen based on how closely they reached fitness goals. Participants were asked to set a goal for the number of minutes of exercise each week, and a Web tracking program calculated the percentage of goal reached as members logged in actual exercise minutes.

In the 5-9 members category, teams finishing from third to first place were The Flying Buttresses, Hey, what did they do with the Tim Horton's? and Phat Hotti RDs. Winners in the 10-14 members category were the Blue Genes, Coding Classics and We're so BAD; 15-19 members winners were Phatzos, A&E Energizers and MAIS Shared Success. Winning teams with 20 or more members were Information HusLers, Silver Streaks and Payroll Pals.

Individual winners who achieved 100 percent of their activity minutes goals were Marti Chanteal Auxier, Karen Brender, Kim Ellsworth, Fairouz Elsaeidi, Janet Hoff, Damon Krueger, Judith Lunch-Sauer and Frederick Stauch. Two charities each received checks for $4,532 raised from contributions from Active U participants: Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition and Ozone House.

Presented with certificates for their Significant Contribution to Ergonomic Improvement were the University Health Service-Managed Care-Student Insurance Department and U-M Health System (UMHS) Security and Entrance Services workstation redesign. Receiving plaques were the Office of the Plant Director-Plant Payroll and Accounts Payable Office, Digital Media Commons and the UMHS Patient Food and Nutrition Services.

Recognized for Excellence in Ergonomics and presented trophies were UMHS Pathology and Hematology and the Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine.

Winfield said the University plans in January to announce a five-year Michigan Healthy Community strategic plan to further promote nutrition, ergonomics, reduction of health risk factors and more.

For more on Michigan Healthy Community, visit www.mhealthy.umich.edu.