By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Hays USD 489 was awarded a Bronze Inspiring Change Aetna Well-Being Award for the efforts of its Wellness Committee during the last year.
The district created a Wellness Committee in 2018 when the district moved from Blue Cross Blue Shield to Aetna as its insurance carrier.
Aetna provided the committee $20,000 in 2018 and 2019 to promote wellness among its employees. The district was awarded an additional $15,000 this school year because of COVID-19.
Some of the Wellness Committee's sponsored activities have included biometric screenings, flu shot clinics, monthly wellness challenges, healthy cooking classes, a wellness speaker, CPR certification classes and free 10-minute massages in cooperation with the FHSU massage program in fall 2019.
The committee also used its funds to offer free drop-in passes to the Hays Recreation Center and Hays Aquatic Park passes.