FARMINGTON — The Healthy Community Coalition recognized local businesses and organizations Tuesday with awards for their efforts to provide healthy worksites and practices.

HCC’s annual WorkHealthy! Program recognizes those who have established policies which set a priority on promoting good health for their employees, Nicole Ditata of HCC explained.

The 6th annual WorkHealthy! Program is a free program offered to help businesses create healthier worksites and practices that in turn can reduce absenteeism, disability costs and health expenses while improving productivity and creativity, according to the HCC website.

Three Platinum level awards, the highest level, were presented to Healthquest, Franklin Savings Bank and Life Enrichment Advancing People (LEAP).

The Platinum award goes to those who promote health and wellness by creating a Wellness Policy and appointing a committee or person to organize healthy office events and promote healthy lifestyles.

Receiving the award for Healthquest were Dr. Jan Roberts and Rebecca Scott.

From Franklin Savings Bank, Shelley Deane, Kelsea Adams, Chrissy St. Laurent, Melissa Spencer and Jeannine McDonald accepted the award.  

LEAP  Executive Director Darryl Wood along with Brittany Berkey and Joy Pierce accepted their award.

Two Gold Awards went to Western Maine Community Action and Community Concepts.

The Gold level acknowledges organizations that provide workplace opportunities for breast-feeding mothers.

“Healthy Community Coalition encourages workplaces to adopt a breastfeeding or lactation policy and provide a safe, clean environment in their workplace where moms may breastfeed,” according to their website.

Anna Frechette accepted the award for WMCA and no one was present from Community Concepts.

A Silver Award was given to the University of Maine at Farmington and was accepted by Tricia Robinson. 

The Silver Award acknowledges “work sites that develop and maintain clear drug-free workplace policies. HCC encourages employers to provide employees the opportunity self-refer without fear of discipline.”

A Bronze Award is also available for those who “develop a tobacco policy that meets or exceeds the Workplace Smoking Act of 1985.”

Businesses and organizations may apply online at the HCC website. The deadline is in May with awards given out in June.

As part of the program, HCC offers applicants tools to help create a Wellness Workplan, assistance with implementing health initiatives and education on health and wellness.

For more information, contact Ditata at 779-2932 or email at nditata@fchn.org.

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