Foundation Seeks Local Firms for Wellness Award

Thursday, March 29, 2007

The Horizon Foundation and the Howard County Chamber of Commerce are seeking applications from local companies for their second annual Workplace Wellness Award.

The Horizon Foundation will present $2,500 awards at a luncheon in November to two local companies that have instituted programs that benefit the physical and mental well being of their employees, said Anne Darr, director of workforce development initiatives and business recognition for the chamber.

The awards will be given in two categories: Employers with 26 or more employees and those with 25 or fewer. The awards will go to programs that have high employee participation and originality in conception, Darr said.

"We're looking for programs that employees want to participate in," she said.

The Horizon Foundation is a philanthropic organization begun in 1998, through funding from Johns Hopkins University, to advance "health and wellness in Howard County" said Richard Krieg, the foundation's president and CEO.

The foundation began the award as a way to improve health in the county, Krieg said.

"You can't attack many health issues unless you involve business because you spend so many hours at work," Krieg said.

Last year's winner, the Columbia-based Bowles Fluidics Corp. instituted an indoor race track on which employees can race radio controlled cars and a walking program, awards officials said.

Applications can be found at the chamber's Web site, www.howardchamber.com, and The Horizon Foundation's Web site, www.thehorizonfoundation.org.

Applications should be submitted by e-mail to info@howardchamber.com.

--Mike Santa Rita