Fall River Government Center employees were able to use their lunch time to learn some stress management techniques just in time for the busy holiday season at the second of five employee health forums on November 16, 2006, thanks to a Healthy City micro-grant awarded to the Employee Healthy Lifestyle Committee. Organized by committee members Joyce Berube from the Personnel Department and City Coordinator Maureen Ryan Estes, the program featured a discussion of holiday stress relievers, information on stress management techniques and and a 10- minute massage offered to willing employee participants by Mariya Fishman from Health Promotions in Needham. "This was a wonderful opportunity to learn some new stress relievers at a particularly stressful time of year," commented Claudia Mello of the auditor's office. "Stress is a major contributor to employee illness and time out of work," noted Director of Municipal Services James Smith, "Anything we can do to help our employees reduce the effects of stress pays off in greater productivity and less use of sick time," For more information about the program, contact Community Coordinator Maureen Estes at 508-324-2405. For photos of a Government Center employee walking program, click here.
 

(Top row, left) Eugenia Rodrigues and Heather Salva share some of their favorite healthy stress relievers for the holiday season. (Top row, right) Community Coordinator Maureen Estes looks over some of the stress management suggestions on one of the handouts. (Middle row) Joyce Berube, Lisa Golden, Claudia Veins, Geri Anger, and Ruth Medeiros help themselves to a healthy salad for lunch. (Bottom row) Mariya Fishman demonstrates a roller that can be used to give a stress-relieving massage to someone else or to oneself.