Wellness challenge adds events, raises funds for kids

loading...

BANGOR – Five new events were offered as part of this year’s Corporate Wellness Challenge. Walleyball – which Bangor YMCA’s recreational sports director Lance Cote described as volleyball played in a racketball court – indoor soccer, indoor golf, candlepin bowling and fitness challenge brought the total number of events to 15.

“The golf scramble is probably our most popular event,” Cote said. Ten-pin and candlepin bowling also are among the favorites, he said.

Bangor Hydro won the overall challenge this year, which it has done several times over the years, said Eric Clapp, the company’s facility manager. He has coordinated Bangor Hydro’s participation for the past two years and has personally participated in the challenge since it began in the mid-1990s, he said. He participated in several events this year.

“Boy, I participated in most of them,” he said. He took part in foul shooting, three-on-three basketball, volleyball, cribbage, horseshoes, candlepin and 10-pin bowling, eight-ball pool and darts.

“Personally, I like the volleyball event the most,” the Eddington resident said, adding that golf seems to rule with many participants.

“[Bangor Hydro] had the most teams in the golf event,” he said, with 40 people on teams. Golf was a favorite with Bangor Daily News staff, as well – 25 people from that company participated in the event. Other popular challenges for the BDN were team fitness with 17 participants, 10-pin bowling with 16 and candlepin bowling with 14.

The new fitness challenge enjoyed particular success, “and it was our most popular event that we probably ever had,” Cote said.

Thirty-three teams of four people each participated in the seven-week program, which started in January. Each team member weighed in at the beginning, received orientation to the Y’s fitness room – including a pass for the full seven weeks – and obtained a nutritional assessment from the nutritionist. After completion, all weighed in again, and success was based on the percentage lost. The Bangor Hydro team was the winning “loser.”

“We had some gung ho teams that did a really good job,” said Cote, who lives in Brewer. He feels that New Year’s resolutions along with the network program “The Biggest Loser,” which, coincidentally, began airing around the same time the fitness challenge started, helped the participants in their endeavors.

The Corporate Wellness Challenge is geared toward mind, body and spirit, Cote said. Mind events include nonathletic challenges such as Trivia and Cribbage. Body events include fitness, indoor soccer and other sports. Spirit involves the degree to which teams root for each other and cheer each other on, Cote said. Teams displaying the most spirit receive points as they participate in different events.

For all events, teams placing first through third receive plaques, with teams gaining points as they participate. First- through fifth-place winners are determined based on the number of points received. The team with the most points wins the cup for all events.

Some 15 individual companies participated in at least one of the challenge’s 15 programs this year. Seven companiespaid for a full season, Cote said.

Participating full-season teams were:

. Bangor Hydro, Bangor, overall winner.

. Bangor Daily News, Bangor, second place.

. Affiliated Healthcare Systems, Bangor, third place.

. Bangor Y, fourth place.

. Zf Lemforder Corp., Brewer, fifth place.

. Microdyne, Orono, sixth place.

. Pepsi Bottling Group, Hampden, seventh place.

And Bangor company Berry Dunn McNeil Parker, while not a full-season participant, is regularly involved in several corporate events each year, Cote said.

Most companies have their own wellness committees, Cote said. Participation in the Corporate Wellness Program allows people to try different activities, build on a life skill, have fun and meet others in the business community. Participants do not need a specific skill level because a broad range of talent exists for all activities, he said.

Money raised from the Corporate Wellness Challenge accomplishes two things, Cote said. First, extra revenue goes for scholarships for children to participate in recreation programs. Secondly, funds cover expenses for participation in the challenge. Teams can pay per event or for a full season, he said.This year, the Corporate Wellness Challenge raised $8,480, said Carrie Anderson, director of development and communications for Bangor Y.

Access-Y Scholarship allows families who meet income guidelines to use the Y, Cote said. Five program sessions are held throughout the year, and interested families may apply before a program session begins. The scholarship covers a variety of programs, such as camp, memberships, the pool, the gym, sports, and before and after school care.

Last year, 1,385 people received some form of scholarship, Anderson said. Of the 581 children in child care programs, 36 percent got some form of scholarship. Of the 1,640 kids in camp programs, 31 percent received help. Last year, fundraising events, including the Corporate Wellness Challenge, raised $148,000, with $96,000 going toward subsidized memberships.

Co-sponsored by Bangor Y and Pepsi, the Corporate Wellness Challenge runs from January through June and is open to any company. Most events are held on Sundays and last at least two hours. Cote is looking for one or two more committed teams to participate in the 2006 Corporate Wellness Challenge. He also would like to have another company help sponsor the program.

For information about the Corporate Wellness Challenge, call Lance Cote during the summer at Camp Peirce Webber at 862-3780. In the fall, call Cote at the Bangor Y, 941-2815.

For information about the Access-Y Scholarship, call Jessica Gallagher at the Y at 941-2815. For information about Bangor Y visit bangorY.org.