ORONO – Five area businesses received honors Thursday evening for providing a healthy workplace for their employees.

The Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce announced the winners at an awards dinner held at the Black Bear Inn.

The Bangor Daily News and the Bangor Letter Shop joined Eastern Maine Development Corp. for the bronze award, while WBRC Architects and Engineers received a silver award and School Administrative District 22 took home the gold.

“These companies have successfully met rigorous health promotion standards and clearly demonstrated their commitment to improving the health and well-being of their most valuable asset – their employees,” Bangor Region Wellness Council director Katrin Teel said. The council is a program of the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce.

SAD 22, which incorporates the towns of Hampden, Winterport and Newburgh, created the slogan “Wellness colors the future of SAD 22.” Superintendent Rick Lyons said the school system has changed some policies in order to make it a healthier place to work and go to school.

Physical education classes at SAD 22 are geared toward teaching the students “lifelong skills” along with activities such as skiing and tennis, Lyons said. Free screening checks for employees are offered through Eastern Maine Medical Center and wellness education is offered at no cost through the adult education program.

Lyons also said the school has imposed a program called the Walking School Bus, hoping to encourage students to walk to school.

Dan Dauphinee, operations manager for Northeastern Log Homes in Kenduskeag and Wellness Council co-chairman, said he hopes more companies will take advantage of the well-workplace resources available through the Bangor Chamber. He said the goal is have the Bangor area designated a “wellness region” by January 2006.

Keynote speaker Dr. Dora Anne Mills, director of the Maine Bureau of Health, encouraged the Chamber to promote its wellness success program to others throughout the state.

“We all have easy access to healthier choices,” she said. “But it has to start in the workplace and schools.”

Although only five companies were recognized, nearly 60 are involved in the region’s Wellness Council.