Wellness Program
City of Lamar Employee Wellness Program Guide
The City of Lamar is a workplace that genuinely cares about and encourages employee health and well-being. It provides benefits and resources that contribute to employee well-being and support.
Did you know that in 2020, over 20 billion dollars were spent in Facebook ads alone? What was all that money designed to purchase? YOUR ATTENTION! Your attention is the most valuable commodity in the world. It is what companies are paying for—your attention.
So let me ask you this. Why would you not take your most valuable commodity and spend some of it on YOU? Paying ‘Attention’ to your own wellbeing is a powerful thing to do to keep yourself resistant to and resilient from stress-related illnesses. The quality or state of being healthy in mind, body and spirit; a deliberate effort of actively making choices towards a more successful existence.
Our Wellness Program empowers employees to take stock in their personal health and wellness by providing well-organized activities that will ultimately increase overall personal wellness. We continue to define the culture of wellness within the City of Lamar and encourage all employees to take responsibility for their health and well-being. Achieving wellness can increase psycho-physiological well-being, social success, efficiency at work, and overall energy and happiness.
Long-term Wellness Program Goals:
- Outcomes Driven – resulting in a positive physical and behavioral change in the Employee
- Reduction in health care costs
- Reduction in obesity
- Decreased absenteeism due to illness, depression, and stress
- Decline in work-related injuries
- Increased job satisfaction, morale, and productivity
Begin your wellness journey today! This is how the Wellness Program works! We have designed a Wellness program that we believe will help each employee who wants to make a change. Each predetermined activity/event approved by the Wellness Team will be allocated a gift value of activity. The Wellness Program runs on the calendar year of January 1st - December 31st.
Fill out the PDF form attached below and return it to the Wellness Committee Chair, Margaret Saldana, Human Resources Director.
City of Lamar Wellness Guide.pdf| Activity | Description/Documentation | Wellness Time Off Value |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Physical and Routine Exams | Attach evidence of an annual physical and other routine health exam by a licensed physician to the Reimbursement Log. Examples of health exams include: Routine mammograms Routine prostate exams, Routine colonoscopy for 50 yrs and older, etc. Routine exams are generally given once per year on a regular basis. Note: CDL Physicals do not qualify as they are requirements for the job. | Earn 1 $25 gift card (Limit 2 exams per calendar) |
| Dental Exam | Attach evidence of a bi-annual dental cleaning to the Reimbursement Log. | Earn 1 $25 gift card Limit 2 dental cleanings per calendar year. |
| Vision Exam | Attach evidence of an annual eye exam to Reimbursement Log. | Earn 1 $25 gift card Limit 1 vision exam per calendar year |
| Dermatology Exam | Attach evidence of a dermatologist exam to Reimbursement Log. | |
| Personal Fitness | Employees must exercise for at least 30 minutes a day/3x week for a period of 6 months. Attach a daily activity log or check-in from a recognized facility (City Rec, LCC Wellness Center, other private gym) Employees may have up to (2) weeks during the (6) month period where they don’t have to log activities. | Earn 1 $50 gift card Limit 1 per year |
| Participate in a 5K, 10K, triathlon, Warrior Dash, etc. | Participate in a 5K, 10K, triathlon, Warrior Dash or other similar event. | Earn $25 gift card Limit 2 per year. |
| Health Fair | Participate in the annual health fair. | Earn $25 gift card Limit 1 per year. |
| Personal Goal | Have a personal goal you would like to achieve but need some encouragement? Example: Lose weight, quit smoking, do a 40 mile mountain bike ride, etc. Submit your wellness request and we will figure out a plan and a payment together. | Complete Wellness Request Form |
Documentation, Receipts, Logs and Sign Up
Employees will need to plan accordingly to receive the maximum benefit. Please be aware that this is a “use it or lose it” benefit, and hours must be used in the year following when they earned it. Hours earned for Wellness from must be used by December 31st of the same year.
Documentation Needed:
- For routine annual exams and the annual heath fair, attach a copy of the actual receipt showing date of service.
- For documentation of personal fitness hours, employees must submit some type of log that documents daily activity from either the Lamar Community Building Recreation Center, LCC Wellness Center, etc.
- For participation in a race, employees will need to show their racing bib number and final results showing you completed the race.
Wellness Challenges
The City of Lamar Wellness Committee has been planning some fun activities for you and your departments.
Healthy Habits Bingo
Game Type: Blackout Bingo (complete the whole card)
Objective: Encourage healthy habits at work by completing every square on the BINGO card. First person/team to complete all squares wins!
Game Duration: May 14, 2025 – May 30, 2025 (There are more squares than days of the challenge. We encourage you to complete 1-2 squares per day.)
Celebrate Completion: Participants who complete the challenge will be recognized in the next City of Lamar Employee Newsletter. (Send a photo of your completed BINGO card to info@ci.lamar.co.us. by May 31, 2025.)
A printed copy of the Bingo card was attached to your pay stub on Wednesday, May 14th. If you need a copy of the document, please email: courtney.recio@ci.lamar.co.us.
Daily Recess Break!
Each afternoon at 2:00 PM, we invite you to pause for a 15-minute Recess Break. Use this time to:
- Step outside for some fresh air
- Take a short walk or stretch
- Share a laugh with a coworker
- Meditate, journal, or simply unplug
If 2:00 PM doesn’t align with your schedule, feel free to take your break at a time that works best for you.
Create a Wellness Board for your Department!
For the month of May, we are encouraging all City of Lamar departments to start a Wellness Board. To get started, hang up a bulletin board, poster board, or whiteboard where staff can share and contribute. Send a photo of your department’s Wellness Board to info@ci.lamar.co.us to be featured in the next City of Lamar Employee Newsletter.
Here are a few ideas to get started:
- Motivational quotes or daily affirmations
- Gratitude corner – notes of appreciation for team members
- Self-care tips and mental health resources
- Mindfulness prompts or weekly wellness challenges
- Pictures from walks or nature breaks
Encourage creativity and participation. The Wellness Board is a space where we can support each other and celebrate small steps toward better well-being.
Please see the attached photo examples of Wellness Boards.
If you have questions or ideas for your department’s Wellness Board or other activities, reach out to the Wellness Committee. We would love to hear from you!
The City of Lamar Wellness Committee would like to invite you to participate in our 2025 Spring Sleep Challenge. The challenge will begin on Sunday, April 13th and end on Saturday, May 10th.
Please check your City email for the email titled, "2025 Spring Sleep Challenge" sent on April 8, 2025 for more details and for your printable copy of the Spring Sleep Challenge Log. If you do not have a City email, please check with your supervisor.
Sleep plays a vital role in mental and emotional health, which makes it one of the most important wellness activities. For this challenge, we will slowly add weekly steps and/or techniques that will help facilitate a better sleeping experience.
- Week 1: Establish a consistent sleep schedule. Go to bed and wake up around the same time every day, even on weekends, to regulate your body's natural sleep-wake cycle (circadian rhythm).
- Week 2: Maintain the established sleep schedule from week 1 while adding a Relaxing Bedtime Routine. Wind down before bed: Engage in calming activities like reading, taking a warm bath, or listening to soothing music. Avoid screen time (phones, tablets, computers) at least 30-60 minutes before bed, as the blue light emitted from screens can interfere with sleep.
- Week 3: Maintain the established sleep schedule from week 1 and Relaxing Bedtime Routine from week 2. This week we add a simple form of exercise or regular physical activity, but avoid intense workouts close to bedtime. Morning or early afternoon workouts are generally best. Adding at least 30 minutes of casually walking is sufficient.
- Week 4: Maintain the established sleep schedule from week 1, Relaxing Bedtime Routine from week 2 and Exercise Regimen from week 3. This week add a dietary action. Avoid caffeine and alcohol, especially in the evening, as they can disrupt sleep. NO CAFFEINE AFTER 3:00 PM.
Supervisors: Please print the attached document to distribute to any of your employees, who do not have access to City email. Thank you.
Lastly, please submit your sleep log to HR Director, Margaret Saldaña on or before Friday, May 16th to be entered for your change to win some AWESOME prizes. Start tracking your sleep habits on Sunday, April 13th.
| Name | Department | Phone | Email Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anne-Marie Crampton | Communications & Marketing | 719-336-1303 | anne-marie.crampton@ci.lamar.co.us |
| Sue Lathrop | Lamar Public Library | 719-336-1293 | sue.lathrop@ci.lamar.co.us |
| Anthony LaTour | Parks and Recreation | 719-336-8088 | anthony.latour@ci.lamar.co.us |
| Tyndan Marquez | Parks and Recreation | 719-336-2774 | tyndan.marquez@ci.lamar.co.us |
| Michell Munoz | Fire Department | 719-336-1385 | michell.munoz@ci.lamar.co.us |
| Rory Oneill | Lamar Light and Power | 719-336-7456 | rory.oneill@lamarlp.com |
| Courtney Recio | Communications & Marketing | 719-336-1448 | courtney.recio@ci.lamar.co.us |
| Margaret Saldana | Wellness Committee Chair & Human Resources Director | 719-336-1366 | margaret.saldana@ci.lamar.co.us |
| Manuel Tamez | Co-Interim City Administrator, Mayor Pro-Tem, Council Member, Ward 1 | 719-373-0519 | manuel.tamez@ci.lamar.co.us |