PORTLAND, Oregon – It was straight from the heart -- the 277,679 minutes of exercise that 254 local Cambia employees logged in the company’s Charity Challenge resulted in prizes of $500 for the American Heart Association and $250 for Start Making A Reader Today (SMART).
The Charity Challenge is one of many workplace wellness programs offered at Cambia to help employees achieve their health and wellness goals. This year, employees at Cambia affiliated companies in Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Washington logged 1,739,413 minutes to benefit charity. That breaks down to 1,207 days, or just over three years of continuous exercise. The prize for the top three teams is a donation to a local charity of their choice.
In Oregon, Sumnar Williams from Team SMART logged 6,020 minutes of exercise over the six week challenge walking his dogs each day and commuting by bicycle to and from the office. He is also training to swim the San Pedro Channel, which is a 20.1 mile swim this coming July. Other top exercisers did everything from Zumba, speed walking the block on breaks, to lifting weights, to martial arts.
“The Charity Challenge is the perfect example of our employees’ commitment to their own health and well-being and that of our communities,” said Amy Walloch, manager of Wellness Programs for Cambia. “The charitable prizes are a great motivator and each year employees really outdo themselves in their efforts to get moving and support our communities.”
SMART pairs adult volunteers with children in need of reading support and books to take home and keep. SMART volunteers read one-on-one with students weekly during the school year to help build children’s reading skills and self-confidence. The American Heart Association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. The Charity Challenge prizes will support the work and mission of these organizations.
About Cambia Health Solutions
Cambia Health Solutions is a nonprofit total health solutions company based in the Pacific Northwest/Intermountain region, serving consumers and communities for nearly 100 years. Cambia companies provide a wide range of products and services, including health care information technology and software development, retail health care, health insurance plans that carry the Blue Cross and Blue Shield brand, life insurance, pharmacy benefit management, consumer engagement and wellness. For more information, please visit www.cambiahealth.com.