Union County, North Carolina
By Keith A. Richards, CPCU, ARM, AIC, Risk Manager

Union County, North Carolina, has a little over 1,000 employees. On Oct. 5, 2007, we held an Employee Appreciation Day and nearly 70% of employees attended. Employees received a T-shirt and bag for the items available from more than 25 employee benefit vendors. The T-shirt included the Union County logo on the front and the event on the back. Also on the back was an acknowledgement we were celebrating National Work & Family Month.

More than 300 flu shots were given and 41 pints of blood were donated to the Red Cross. Nearly 100 employees had their cholesterol and/or blood pressure checked. The Highway Patrol sponsored an area with "drunk goggles." Breast cancer awareness was an additional focus. Because we wanted to build in a wellness component, our lunch included grilled chicken breast, green beans, mashed potatoes, and a salad. A disc jockey provided background music and helped us with a hula-hoop contest. A dunk tank was set up where participants purchased 50/50 raffle tickets, with the proceeds going to the Christmas Bureau, a local charity.

We achieved our goal of promoting wellness, educating our employees on benefits available to them, and boosting morale. Our goal is that by improving morale at work, that enthusiasm will carry over to their family life. Following the expo, several employees told me they were proud to be a Union County employee.