We’re excited to launch our new WalkingSpree blog. In the blog, you’ll find articles on health, nutrition and wellness as well as monthly recipes. Our WalkingSpree Personal Trainers will be writing posts that provide grounded and accurate fitness information as well as provide you with encouragement and motivation.

We sent this special edition of our newsletter to all our WalkingSpree members to highlight some exciting events that have happened recently. Read our Corporate client news, listen to a podcast, find out who the member of the month is and see who the top 20 walkers are for September.

Corporate Client News

WalkingSpree Corporate Client wins 2008 Benefits Professional of the Year Award

WalkingSpree was thrilled to congratulate Scott Beeken of American Financial Group (AFG) and Great American Insurance as the 2008 Benefits Professional of the Year (Benny Award) that was recently presented at the Annual Benefits Forum & Expo in Washington, DC.

WalkingSpree has worked closely with Mr. Beeken in establishing a company wide wellness initiative for its 5,500 employees by delivering WalkingSpree’s turn-key walking program for corporate clients that includes a private website for AFG. As part of a comprehensive wellness program that also included biometric screenings, a weight management program and wellness seminars, employees were challenged to walk at least one million steps over a 6 month period to qualify for a range of awards that included a new 2009 Saturn Sky convertible.

There are 2,700 employees and spouses participating in the WalkingSpree walking component and they are averaging over 8,300 steps per day — twice the average activity for a typical office worker. AFG employees might be wearing out their shoes as they collectively have walked over 2 billion steps after four months, and nearly two-thirds will have exceeded the corporate challenge to reach million steps. That is amazing!

WalkingSpree Member of the Month

Not only has Mr. Beeken won the Benny Award, he himself has walked at least 10,000 steps every day since he started the program in early April 2008. He hasn’t missed a single day. In light of this, we would like to make Scott Beeken, the WalkingSpree member of the month. Congratulations!

Scott Beeken (left) with Dr. Oz (right)

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Podcast Interview

Hiran Perera, CEO of WalkingSpree was also interviewed on the Cost of “Presenteism in the Corporate Work Environment”. Listen to the podcast to find out the effects of corporate wellness programs, keeping people motivated and your ROI.

Direct link to w3w3 podcast.

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Top 20 walkers - September
(includes all WalkingSpree members)

Screen Name Total Steps Average Steps

New Features
If you are a club admin, you can now send a private message to all your club members under the club admin panel.

NOTE: We will be transferring all the older newsletters over the next couple of weeks so that you’ll be able to find them all in one spot.