We started our new fitness program on Thursday, February 10. Twelve people joined our Driven Driver Challenge, a sixteen-week motivational program designed to encourage healthier lifestyles.
We've noticed a recent trend. Commercial drivers are required to pass a physical that remains valid up to two years. During the most recent twelve-month period, many drivers are presenting physicals that are only good for a year or six months. In one case, the physical was only good for three months.
Once granted the physical, though, the driver is deemed fit-for-duty by a medical professional. Our concern is not that unhealthy people are driving our buses. Our concern is that the medical community seems to be more concerned that health is on some sort of downward spiral and needs to be checked more frequently.
Combined with a poor attendance record, we felt the need to take action to reverse that downward check, and so we conceived, planned, and implemented our Driven Driver Challenge.
The Driven Driver - the one who wins the challenge - will be able to choose a destination vacation and we will present him or her with a $300 voucher toward the cost of airline tickets, and the "pot" of money collected at the weekly weigh-in.
Friends of our business have offered special gifts to use in monthly drawings - an amazing workout bra from Sandy Foede (via Essential Body Wear, at 763.878.2548), an hour-long massage from Sylvia Nelson, Massage Therapist (763.262.9622) of Big Lake, a free portrait sitting at Lommel Photography (763.263.6974), and another hour-long massage from Belde Chiropractic. Nice!
Participants receive a food, exercise, and goal journal, membership at The Rink, and a weekly visit from Jen, a nutritionist from New River Medical Center.
Each week at weigh-in, we track the percent of body weight lost, journaling activities, exercise time, goals set, and meeting attendance. Each week participants can earn extra points by completing other tasks (this week's is to bring a healthy recipe and/or a new exercise suggestion). The point winner will win one of the free prizes. Participants pay to weigh-in, for weight gained, for missing the meeting, etc., and that money will be presented to the ultimate winner.
We are so, so excited about this program and the opportunity it presents not only for the participants, but for every employee here. We hope to see the desire to live a healthier lifestyle spread from person to person like a wildfire!
Thanks to former employee and friend, Stacie Pribyl Hennen, for the name of our program, the Driven Driver! Special thanks to Jakob Kounkel, sophmore at Monticello High School, for our program logo.
Watch for updates in the coming weeks.
