Two LINQ Teams Place in Health Action Council’s Fall Step It Up Challenge

Congratulations to the participants and winners of the 2025 Fall Step It Up Challenge! The theme, whole-person wellness and the eight dimensions of wellbeing, encouraged balance, movement, and mindful habits

LINQin’ Park Walkers from LINQ won first place. The team, consisting of Jack Harris, Ken Nunez, Donny Napolitano, Elise Clote, and Dominique Young averaged 486,722 steps and logged a combined total of 2,437,681 steps. The winning team receives the Grand Prize: a healthy lunch and a $300 donation to either a local school garden project or Ronald McDonald House Charity.

Third place winners were LINQ Kiss My Asphalt from LINQ: Tiffany Apple, Kelly Wiley, Lindsay Terry, Erica Quick, and Stephanie Murray. The team achieved 468,001 average total steps. The team won Step It Up wellness swag.

When talking about the challenge, the third place winners stated, "Our team, LINQ Kiss My Asphalt, worked together by competing against the other LINQ teams in the challenge. We kept each other motivated with encouragement like, “Get out and walk — we can’t let the others beat us!” We also reminded ourselves that even if we didn’t take first place, it wouldn’t be because we didn’t try. Rain or shine, we were out there walking — umbrellas and all!"

The challenge consisted of 819 participants and 87 teams, with 148,938,720 total steps, and 6,495 average daily steps. Teams achieved the collective step goal, unlocking a $500 donation to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Texas. Throughout the four weeks, participants explored the Eight Dimensions of Wellness — physical, emotional, social, occupational, intellectual, environmental, financial, and spiritual, taking intentional steps toward whole-person health.

“This challenge energized teams across all dimensions of wellness — not just through movement, but by giving people meaningful opportunities to build new habits, support one another, and have fun while doing it,” said Patty Starr, President & CEO of Health Action Council. “When employees feel supported across all aspects of their wellbeing, they show up stronger — for themselves, their teammates, and their communities.”

Second place was earned by Melissa’s Milers from the City of Toledo: Don Czerniak, Laurie Mahler, Vicki Coleman, Melissa Masztak, and Daniel Gerken. The team achieved 484,790 average steps. The team received a healthy lunch and a $200 donation to either a local school garden project or Ronald McDonald House Charity.

“A thoughtfully-designed workplace wellness challenge does more than increase step counts — it strengthens culture, builds connection, and empowers employees to maintain healthy routines long after the challenge ends,” said Starr. “When people feel inspired inside and outside of work, the results ripple across teams and communities.”

Three individuals from the Top 15 leaderboard were entered in a drawing and randomly selected to win a new Fitbit Charge 5.

1. Luciano Perez from Karcher had 1,126,800 steps
2. Brenda Kitts from Ashland University had 930,615 steps
3. Roger Cruz from Cincinnati Metro Go had 629,062 steps

• 10/7/25: Phillip Miller from Karcher won a $15 Starbucks gift card for posting a wellness goal in the challenge chat
• 10/9/25: Megan Wend from Advantage Dental+ won a pickleball paddle set for participating in the physical wellness mini challenge
• 10/13/25: Katie Orenberg from Ashland University won a $25 Amazon gift card for participating in the intellectual wellness mini challenge
• 10/15/25: Courtney Lewis from Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library won a Bodum French Press Coffee Maker for participating in the occupational wellness mini challenge
• 10/17/25: Joseph Tanner from Hitachi Solutions won an Owala FreeSip water bottle for participating in the environmental wellness mini challenge
• 10/21/25: Gregory Toyeas from Cincinnati Metro Go won a $20 Chipotle gift card for participating in the social wellness mini challenge
• 10/23/25: Lynda Lara from Austin Telco won a Pilates ring, ball, and resistance band set in the emotional wellness mini challenge
• 10/27/25: Cheri Storm from Advantage Dental won a $20 Amazon gift card for participating in the financial wellness mini challenge
• 10/29/25: Mary Lynn Roberts from Cuyahoga DD won a resistance band set in the spiritual wellness mini challenge
• 11/3/25: Antonia Wolf from Hitachi Solutions won a $25 Dick’s Sporting Goods gift card for participating in the heart-health mini challenge

Gear up for our 2026 Spring Step It Up Challenge March 30 – April 26! Join us to “travel” through wellness adventure themed destinations — each with its own fitness focus and fun mini-challenges to keep participants moving and winning! For additional questions, please contact Noelle Reinhart at nreinhart@healthactioncouncil.org.

About Health Action Council
Health Action Council is a not-for-profit 501(c)(6) organization representing mid and large-size employers that enhances human and economic health through thought leadership, innovative services, and collaboration. It provides value to its members by facilitating projects that improve the quality and moderate the cost of healthcare purchased by its members for their employees, dependents, and retirees.

Health Action Council also collaborates with key stakeholders — health plans, physicians, hospitals, and the pharmaceutical industry — to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare in the community.