In October, Blue Zones Project® recognized Whole Foods Market® in Kailua as the first Blue Zones Project Approved™ grocer on Oahu. With a mission of providing a wide selection of fresh, local, and organic products, partnering with a community well-being initiative further demonstrates their commitment to offering healthier options for the Koolaupoko residents. Whole Foods Kailua is one of three locations in Hawaii, and first opened its doors in 2012.
To celebrate, the grocery store hosted a Facebook Live virtual tour inside their store to show changes they have made in partnership with Blue Zones Project. Watch the video clip above to see how Whole Foods Market made healthy choices even easier in their Kailua store.
Grocery stores like Whole Foods Market Kailua achieve Blue Zones Project Approved status by choosing and successfully implementing best practices to support community well-being from the Blue Zones Project Grocery Store Pledge. Next time you shop at Whole Foods Market Kailua, look out for the following practices they have implemented:
- Placing of produce displays near the front entrance of their store
- Calling out produce that is locally grown
- Selling grab-and-go healthy snacks and lunches
- Offering taste-testing of Blue Zones foods
- Providing ample bike racks at the store's entrance
Interested in getting involved and learning more?
Email: bluezonesprojectkoolaupoko@healthways.com or call #808-564-4767.
SEAGULL SCHOOLS LOCATIONS ON OAHU RECOGNIZED AS
BLUE ZONES PROJECT APPROVED WORKSITES
(Pictured: Back Left-Right: Cheryl Campbell (Chief Financial Officer, Seagull Schools), Kana’i Bento (Director, Seagull School at Kailua), Cyrus Howe (Blue Zones), Cherie Andrade (Blue Zones Project Koolaupoko), Chuck Larson (Chief Executive Officer, Seagull Schools), Galo Camacho (Administrative Director, Seagull School at Kapolei), Clyde Bueno (Facility Maintenance Repair Manager, Seagull Schools), Gary Gill (Board Member, Seagull Schools) Front L-R: Tracie Romualdo (Director, Seagull School Adult Day Center), Jayne Arasaki (Director of Operations, Seagull Schools), Cynthia Larson (Program Director, The Early Education Center of Seagull Schools), Erika Starrett (Organization Lead, Blue Zone – Koolaupoko), Melissa Kasik-Requilman (Director, Seagull School at Ocean Pointe), Jessica Ines-Kapua (Director, Seagull School at Ko Olina), Lisa Uyehara (Administrative Director, The Early Education Center at Seagull Schools), Derek Valdez, Head Chef for Seagull Schools), Chris Lau (Board Member, Seagull Schools).
Argh! Ahoy Matey! It was all hands on deck for a pirate-themed Blue Zones Project recognition ceremony of Seagull Schools held in Kailua earlier this month. Folks came dressed up in full swashbuckling spirit to celebrate all five Seagull School sites in their achievement of Blue Zones Project Approved status as worksites committed to well-being.
A real community treasure, Seagull Schools is one of the state's largest early education providers with enrollment of approximately 900 children statewide. The private, non-profit corporation was established in 1971 and currently has five locations in Kapolei, Ko Olina, Ocean Pointe, Kailua and Downtown Honolulu.
All five sites on Oahu achieved Blue Zones Project Approved status by adopting and supporting best practices for promoting well-being, including:
- Dedicating five quiet spaces for employees to downshift, attend to nursing or breastfeeding needs, and/or conduct standing meetings.
- Providing an employee health incentive program structured around perfect attendance, fitness, preventative exams, and volunteering.
- Offering a purpose workshop hosted by Blue Zones Project to help all 140 employees find or renew their true purpose at the school’s semi-annual in-service training.
- Serving only healthy food at regular staff meetings.
- Creating 10 Blue Zones Project parking spaces furthest away from the workplace entrance with signs that encourage employees to “Walk Farther, Live Longer”
- Ensuring that offices have safe and comfortable ergonomic equipment by replacing 10 office chairs, and creating five new work stations for a total of about $15,000 in improvements to the workplace environment.
Interested in becoming a Blue Zones Project ApprovedTM organization?, Email us to learn more at BlueZonesProjectKoolaupoko@healthways.com or call (808) 564-4767.
HAWAII JOB CORPS STAFF IN WAIMANALO
LACE UP THEIR SHOES AND START WALKING
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On November 3, Hawaii Job Corps staff in Waimanalo launched several Walking Moai groups. Moai® (pronounced "Mo Eye") is a group of 5-8 people that meets at least once a week for walking, talking and fellowship. Together they choose a team name, a time, and a place in the community to do their walking for 10 straight weeks. The small size of the groups allows members to focus on building lasting relationships -- turns out those social connections are just as vital to well-being as the exercise! The Moai team names are: The Job Corps Jay Walkers, Blue Moana and 2 Step Hoolahoop.
The word "moai" comes from Okinawa, Japan (one of the five areas recognized as a "Blue Zone where people live longer") and means "meeting for a common purpose." In Okinawa, neighbors use moais as support systems to help those in need.
Interested in forming Moais where you work?
Email: Erika.Starrett@healthways.com or call #808-564-4768
