The Bottom Line

Leon County’s fit challengeThe Bottom LineLeon County’s Fit Challenge 

By Rosanne Dunkelberger

A few local visionaries look to Tallahassee’s future and see a populace dedicated to healthy living. To share that vision, they invited business leaders to a breakfast earlier this year to share the wellness gospel. The featured speaker was Steve LaCagnin, a West Virginia attorney who brought wellness to his law practice.

LaCagnin outlined several steps his law firm took that improved the health of its workers – and improved the firm’s bottom line through lower health-care costs and reduced absenteeism. They include subsidized health-club memberships and weight-loss groups, smoking cessation classes, lunch-and-learn sessions, walking challenges, exercise groups, health fairs and a well-workplace newsletter.

“It’s a win for you because it affects the bottom line in a positive way,” he told the group. “It’s a win because it’s the right thing to do.”

After the breakfast, 10 local employers representing 20,000 workers signed up with the Wellness Councils of America to learn how to design and deliver results-oriented business programs. The goal is to have Leon County earn the designation of “Gold Well County,” with businesses representing more than half of local workers involved in wellness.

For more information, contact co-chair Mary Barley at marybarley50@comcast.net or call 509-1953.