Employee Wellness and Benefits Fair Draws Hundreds for Health and Well-Being

Hundreds of SBU employees attended the Wellness and Benefits Fair October 29. Photos by John Griffin.

Over 500 SBU employees gathered in the Student Activities Center October 29 for the Healthier Uand Human ResourcesEmployee Wellness and Benefits Fair. This year's event, building on the success of the inaugural fair in 2022, offered a range of wellness activities, healthcare resources, and networking opportunities focused on balancing work and personal well-being.

Attendees had the chance to participate in a variety of wellness opportunities, from chair yoga to pet therapy. Health screenings were available from the Stony Brook Heart Institute, and attendees could also receive free flu shots and COVID-19 vaccinations provided by CVS. For stress relief, employees participated in a knitting circle, colored mandalas, made aromatherapy lip scrubs, and built creations with Legos.

"Not only did I receive a lot of helpful information, save a ton of money on my AT&T account, get lots of cool swag, I won an Apple watch!" said Nicole Morris, assistant director of annual giving. "I also got my cholesterol checked and got my flu shot. On top of all that, I got to see some of my favorite colleagues outside of my office."

To support employees in planning for their futures, the fair included breakout sessions on topics like home-buying for beginners, retirement planning, and cancer prevention, hosted by the Stony Brook Cancer Center. Nearly 90 tables from Stony Brook departments and community health organizations offered additional information and resources, creating a space for employees to connect with wellness experts and with one another.

"It was wonderful to see so many employees meeting with their benefits providers, local wellness vendors and also one another," said Cathrine Duffy, director of Healthier U. "To foster that spirit of connection, we added a 'Connect and Be Well' station to the fair this year. Engaging with one another really is an important aspect of wellness."

"It is so exciting to see so many of our colleagues in person, speaking to all of our exhibitors and learning about their fantastic benefits packages. Not only did we have tables with information about our employee benefits packages, but we showcased all of the wonderful resources we have right at our fingertips," said Kristen Blandi, manager of employee benefits and co-organizer of the fair."My favorite part of this event was the raffles. Everyone was so excited and when we announced the winners each hour for the apple watches, our winners were so ecstatic."

"I cannot wait to plan the next event, and in the spirit of this year's goal, we will push to make it even bigger and better," added Blandi, highlighting the campus spirit that encourages employees to dare to be productive, successful, and engaged employees, while prioritizing self-care.

- Beth Squire

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