Employee Wellness

Coin Drive update-only 12 days to go!

Coin drive pic of large container

Keep a Child Warm Coin Drive Update:

Here is what we have collected so far for our coin drive. A close guess is around $25.00. We still have a long way to go to reach our $500 goal! The blue cans will be out until the week of November 9th. Locations of the cans: rehab, business office, WellnessFirst office, lab, surgery, Mora clinic (Wendy’s desk), PC clinic, Hinckley clinic, IP floor by the water station. Employees are welcome to drop their coins in any can at any time. To put things into perspective, if each employee contributed just over $1.00, we would reach our goal! THANK YOU to those that have contributed so far.

If your department or area would like a can, please let Deb Wright know! dwright@welia.org

WOW Tip of the Week-Breast Cancer Awareness

Breast cancer ribbon

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Chances are pretty good that you know someone who has suffered from breast cancer or who is currently undergoing care for breast cancer. Take time this month to support those you know in the fight against breast cancer.

According to the Mayo Clinic: The best way to fight breast cancer is to have a plan that helps you detect the disease in its early stages. Create an early detection plan which should include regular self-exams, clinical breast exams and mammograms based on your age and health history. Talk to your provider about a plan that is best for you. The key is to have a plan.

Some risk factors are not modifiable, such as age, sex, family history, early menarche, late menopause, etc. But there are many steps you can take to help prevent breast cancer. You can start by adopting healthy habits. Lifestyle changes have been shown in studies to decrease breast cancer risk even in high-risk women. Here are some steps you can take to lower your risk:

Limit alcohol
Don’t smoke
Control your weight
Be physically active
Breastfeed if you can
Limit dose and duration of hormone therapy
Avoid exposure to radiation and environmental pollution

Talk with your provider about your personal situation and preferences when it comes to detecting breast cancer.

Sources: www.mayoclinic.org and www.cancer.org

Community Service Event – COIN DRIVE

Just a reminder that we have our coin drive going on right now through November 9th. Money collected will be put toward the purchase of winter items for kids in the communities of: Ogilvie, Mora, Pine City and Hinckley. The community service committee works with schools in those communities to determine the greatest needs.

We have 442 employees in our organization. If each employee donated just $1.13 in change, we would reach our goal of collecting $500.00!

Drop your change into any one of the cans and help keep kids in need stay toasty warm this winter! Easy ways to do this? Skip purchasing that scone, soda, or other snack just one day in the next couple of weeks.

Cans are located in the following areas and will be EMPTIED WEEKLY into one large container (with the exception of PC and Hinckley):

Pine City and Hinckley Clinics-by admitting or break room
Mora Clinic – Wendy Linder’s office
Locations at the hospital:
- Rehab
- Imaging
- Surgery
- Lab-by ice machine
- Nursing floor-by water machine
- Business Office
- WellnessFirst Office

Community Service Event-Food Packing on Sunday November 1st

The Community Service Committee has an upcoming event for FirstLight employees and family members. We will be participating in a food packing event through Kids Against Hunger at Calvary Lutheran Church here in Mora on Sunday November 1st from 1:00pm-3:00pm. We can take up to 20 volunteers for this event. The coolest thing about this event? The food we pack will stay LOCAL and will be delivered to our local food pantries in Ogilvie, Pine City, Hinckley and Mora. Please contact Deb Wright at *3586 or at dwright@welia.org if you are interested in volunteering!

Employee wellness wants your opinion! Please take our short survey.

The employee wellness committee is looking for feedback on employee wellness activities to help plan for 2016. Please take our quick 5-question survey to help us make improvements to the wellness program.

Thank you for your input!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/B7TWKZS

Health Milestones Employee Wellness Challenge-INFO

I have Know Your Numbers cards available for those that wish to have a place to write down their actual numbers or health info for the challenge since it is not required to enter this private info on the log sheet that you turn in.

I will have these available in the dining room, in the Wellness office at the end of the HR hallway, and the Mora clinic break room. I will send some over to the satellite clinics as well.

Keep A Child Warm Coin Drive-Community Service Event

The Community Service Committee is starting a new community service event called “Keep A Child Warm.” This is a COIN DRIVE where we will be collecting coins to purchase cold weather items for kids in need in Pine and Kanabec Counties. Large cans are now available to place in your area/department. Friendly competition between departments is encouraged! Cans will be collected the week of November 9th by a member of the community service committee. Our goal is to raise $500 to purchase enough items for both counties.

Empty out those pockets or purses and lighten your load knowing you will be providing cold weather items for kids. Your small change can make a BIG difference! THANK YOU!

If your area or department would like a can, please contact Deb Wright at *3586 or at dwright@welia.org. I will send a can over to each satellite site as well!

Walk to School Day a Success!

Thank you to the following FirstLight employees who helped with the Walk to School event this morning: Ellen Ryan, Amber Smith, Pam Novak, Cindy Teichroew, Korissa Matykiewicz, Amanda Strom, Merri Silbernagel, Ronda Jannett and auxiliary members Marlys Renstrom, Janet Johnson, Bobbie Besser, Lois Mathison and Peg Schaupp.

It was a crisp morning but we had a great group of kids walking to Trailview and Fairview schools from the Library Park.