Announcing the Good Health, Good Business award
Since 2006, the Asheville Chamber has hosted a 5k race, encouraging local businesses and individuals to get healthy and to promote wellness in the workplace. Typically, we have 1,200+ race participants gathered here at the Chamber for a run or walk through the historic Montford neighborhood. Our promotion teaser has traditionally asked, “Are you up to the challenge?” This year, WE had to accept a challenge – to pivot from an in-person race to a virtual event.
Here’s what changed. Participants were allowed to use a course of their choice – neighborhood, home treadmill, office parking lot, even our Chamber Challenge course – on a day of their choice over the last two weeks. We offered virtual training sessions with YMCA personal trainer Jesse Hyder every Tuesday evening for 6 weeks before the race to help participants get ready for their run. And then, we asked our participants to send in their photos from the race.
Switching gears wasn’t easy, but our key sponsors were a tremendous help! Working alongside us every step of the way, was our presenting sponsor, Pardee UNC Health Care. Pardee UNC Health Care also sponsored our 2020 Good Health Good Business award.
2020 Good Health Good Business Award
We are happy to announce that the award this year is being given to a long-standing member of the business community, Biltmore Farms. Biltmore Farms has shown that even in these challenging times, they still are dedicated to providing a well-rounded and health balanced workplace for their employees.
Biltmore Farms has been an integral part of our community for more than a century, and their ongoing commitment to improving the health of their employees stands with the company’s original goals to nurture and support many families across the region of Western North Carolina.
Even during the pandemic, Biltmore Farms has continually engaged with, and provided their employees with a multitude of opportunities to stay well! Pardee @Work has worked closely with Biltmore Farms to provide many health and wellness tracks such as physician and nutritionist lead lunch n learns, challenges and overall health advice and information.
The Pardee @Work team and the Asheville Chamber are proud to work alongside Biltmore Farms in their journey to better health and wellness for their team and for our community, and to award them this much deserved honor.
2020 Chamber Challenge by the Numbers
6 weeks of training and personal coaching led by Jesse Hyder with YMCA of Western North Carolina.
121 total participants
2 first time 5k runners participated in the Chamber Challenge: Jamie Surrett and Kristi Mayrand!
13 different businesses represented. Special shoutout to Johnson Price Sprinkle PA, who had 29 participants and also Eaton Corporation, who had 26 participants!
$18,520 raised! Participating in a 5k is mostly about your personal health, but the Chamber Challenge also helps us fundraise so we can continue our work in the business community. We can’t say thank you enough.
First place winners by age category
Age 60+ – top finisher is Ben Hamrick at 26:59. Ben is with Johnson Price Sprinkle PA
Age 50-59 – top finisher was Charlie Hume of Eaton Corporation with a time of 24:54
40-49-year old winner was Ritchie Rozzelle with time of 24:26
In the 30’s category, we had Allison Black with Biltmore Farms – her finish time was 25:04
For the category of 20-29-year-olds, we congratulate Daniel Bradley who had a finish time of 26:47. According to the finish times reported, the youngest female participant was Tyler Sims with HomeTrust Bank. The youngest male was Marshall Livingstain with JPS.
Most faithful Chamber Challenge participants over the years
Sharon Owen with Mercy Urgent Care is our “longest running” participant (pun intended) as she has run or walked this event since its inception! This year marks her 14th year supporting the Chamber and wellness in the workplace.
Bruce Luecke with Eaton Corporation has participated for the past 13 years and says he encourages his coworkers to sign up every year.
And the prize for the Most Dedicated to the Challenge award goes to Stan Moore with Eaton. Stan did his run while on vacation at Hilton Head Island! He probably enjoyed his FLAT course without the hills we have here in the Montford neighborhood!
Top 50 prize winners
First place finisher: Erin Day with Pardee UNC Health Care with a time of 23 minutes minutes and 35 seconds. Congratulations, Erin!
Daniel Bradley – Explore Asheville
Nathan Sawyer – McGill Associates
Marshall Staton – Aeroflow
Jill Jones – No Evil Foods
Lori Hart – Pardee
Nicole Miller – NicClick Social
Jessica Coffield – representing Young Professionals of Asheville
Lindsey Bnadad – iHeart Media
Mary Schumacher – First Bank
Maria Pilos – JPS
Rachel Sossoman – Mercy Urgent Care
Jennifer Kass-Green – Explore Asheville
Josh Kersey – Biltmore Farms
Luis Mijia – Aeroflow
Corey Trantham – Eaton
Jason Capps – HomeTrust Bank
Timothy Soto – Highland Brewing
Rhyne Franklin – Biltmore Farms Hotels
Kristin Cox – JPS
Jonna Sampson – Explore Asheville
Amanda Nix – Eaton
Chelsea Darley – Pardee
Mia Paahlman – HomeTrust Bank
Diana Gwaltney – JPS
Marci Anderson – Biltmore Farms
Kyle Ponder – HomeTrust Bank
Jeff Washburn – Biltmore Farms
Karen Casey – Mercy Urgent Care
Melinda Sims – Eaton