WellStride, the Kalamazoo RESA wellness team, was recently named one of Michigan’s Best and Brightest in Wellness. The honor is bestowed upon companies and non-profits that are making their workplaces, their employees and the community a healthier place to live and work. The WellStride team will be recognized at the annual Best and Brightest in Wellness gala on October 20 in Dearborn.

“We know health employees are happy, highly-effective employees and we are excited to see how our work can continue to expand and develop,” said WellStride coordinator and Head Start Family Advocate Emily Betros. “This award shows us that we are on the right track, and encourages us to explore more innovative and collaborative ways that we can bring well-being to the workplace.”  

WellStride is comprised of 15 employees from every Kalamazoo RESA site. The team works together to offer wellness challenges, educational opportunities and promotes and encourages employees to participate in community events.

“The committee hopes to expand our efforts to provide individual health coaching, increased outreach to engage more employees, incorporating spouses, partners, and children into our events, and offer a wide variety of holistic well-being workshops based on the needs of our employees,” Betros said. “With Kalamazoo RESA’s dedication to a culture of continuous improvement, we know the sky is the limit and appreciate all the support over the last five years to get us where we are today!”

WellStride Points of Pride
15 wellness champions representing all Kalamazoo RESA programs make up the committee
Due to increased engagement, Snack and Learn events will double to twice a month
The wellness newsletter earns 600 views each month
50 employees and their families participated in the first Summer Family Stroll
150 employees participated in three annual wellness challenged and a community 5K event
134 employees attended monthly Snack and Learn events last year