Detroit Conference Finishes Second in Elite 8 HealthMiles Challenge

By Paul Thomas, Detroit Conference Director of Communications

The Detroit Conference has finished second in the Elite 8 Challenge, a Virgin HealthMiles challenge that pitted members of the Detroit Conference against seven other conferences from September 23-October 31. The Elite 8 Challenge was sponsored by the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits for all conferences that participate in the walking program but are not enrolled in HealthFlex, the health care plan of the GBOPHB.

The Illinois-Great Rivers Conference finished first in the challenge with an average of 302,704 steps per day, followed by Detroit with 293,503. The Arkansas Conference placed third with 289,811 steps, and was followed by East Ohio (280,033), Eastern Pennsylvania (279,508), Iowa (266,343) and Peninsula-Delaware (246,839). The California-Pacific Conference rounded out the field with 228,793 steps.

The Detroit Conference had the most participants of any conference, with 148 individuals enrolling in the challenge. Forty-eight percent of the active participants in the conference participated in the challenge, the second-highest among the conferences.

Over 900 people from all eight conferences participated in the challenge. Eight walkers tied for first place with a maximum possible step count of 870,000 during the challenge, including the Detroit Conference's Dennis Munger. Three other members of the conference finished in the top 25: Krystn Nyquist (11th place, 827,466 steps), the Rev. Thomas Tarpley (19th place, 729,165), and the Rev. Don Gotham (25th place, 693,021).

The Virgin HealthMiles walking program was introduced in the Detroit Conference in December 2009. Eligible participants to the conference-funded program include all participants, spouses, and dependents (ages 18-24) that are currently enrolled in the Detroit Conference Active Health Insurance Plan. These individuals can join the HealthMiles program free of charge by visiting the Virgin HealthMiles Web site. Retirees and spouses enrolled in the Conference Retiree Health Insurance Plan are also eligible to join the HealthMiles program free of charge, but must contact the Rev. Donald Emmert, Conference Benefits Office, for a retiree enrollment form.

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Detroit Conference members encouraged to join nationwide HealthMiles challenge

By Paul Thomas, Detroit Conference Director of Communications

The registration deadline is quickly approaching for the Conference-to-Conference Challenge, a Virgin HealthMiles challenge sponsored by the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits. 

The deadline for eligible participants to register for the challenge is Tuesday, Sept. 21.

The GBOPHB is sponsoring a Conference-to-Conference Challenge for all conferences that have adopted the Virgin HealthMiles program, but are not enrolled in HeathFlex, the health care plan of the GBOPHB.

The conferences participating in the challenge will be:Arkansas, California-Pacific, Detroit, East Ohio
Eastern Pennsylvania, Illinois Great Rivers, Iowa, Peninsula-Delaware.

The purpose of the challenge (beyond conference bragging rights) is to increase enrollment and daily average steps of participants. The challenge will fun for four weeks from September 23 to October 21.

Participants in the challenge who average 7,000 steps per day (total of 203,000) during the challenge will receive 300 HealthMIles. Members that average 12,000 steps per day (total of 348,000) will receive 500 HealthMiles. All participants who enroll in the challenge and wear their pedometer everyday during the challenge can earn an additional 100 HealthMiles.

For conferences, the conference with the highest average steps per participant will receive a Traveling Award to proudly display in their conference office. This award will remain at that location until the start of the next Conference to Conference Challenge.

So far approximately 40 percent of eligible participants in the Detroit Conference have signed up for the challenge. Competition between conferences is expected to be fierce, and trash talk between benefits coordinators has already begun, with the East Ohio Conference stating it is already making plans to build a display case for the trophy.

The Rev. Don Emmert, conference benefits officer, would like to see as many people as possible from the Detroit Conference participate so that the trophy can find its way to the Conference Center in Flint.

This challenge is only open to those who are enrolled in the Detroit Conference Active Health Insurance Plan. The challenge does not include retirees or those who enrolled in Virgin HealthMiles as individuals through the UMC Friends and Family program.

All participants, spouses, and dependents (ages 18-24) that are currently enrolled in the Detroit Conference Active Health Insurance Plan may still enroll in the Virgin HealthMiles program. Please click here to visit the Virgin HealthMiles Web site. You must enroll by Monday, Sept. 13 to have time to receive your pedometer and engage in the challenge.

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