Local business owners gather to discuss wellness programs

Decorah and Winneshiek County should become well known as a "wellness place."  That's the opinion of Winneshiek County Development Inc. Executive Director Randy Uhl, who looks at the Trout Run Trail, Food & Fitness Initiative, Oneota Community Food cooperative and other assets in the area.

On Tuesday Uhl and other members of a steering committee presented a "Wellness as a Business Strategy" workshop for representatives from 65 Winneshiek County employers.  The two-hour presentation discussed how wellness programs might be created to help the health Winneshiek County residents.

Northwestern Mutual representative John Monaghan of Waterloo gave the keynote speech at the Hotel Winneshiek event, followed by a roundtable discussion that included Luther College's Rick Torgerson and Greg Lonning, Winneshiek Medical Center's Dan Werner and Northeast Iowa Food & Fitness Initiative's Ann Mansfield.

Werner says he was pleased with the "very positive" feedback.  Uhl says the steering committee will meet again soon to further discuss ideas on how the improve wellness programs within local businesses, as well as improving wellness in the community as a whole and promoting Decorah as a location that values wellness programs.