In charge of fun …

St. John’s Lutheran Community has been working to not only make life fun for their residents but for their employees, too.

In August 2014, St. John’s created what it calls the fun committee. It is made up of employees from different positions and shifts who work to create opportunities for staff to have fun and participate in the community.

Diane Wichmann, with the marketing and public relations staff at St. John’s, said the committee has been successful.

For instance, the fun committee encourages workers to get involved in the community by volunteering. They could ring a bell for the Salvation Army, donate blood, give away used coats, volunteer at school or church, supply food to food shelves, give toys or volunteer at St. John’s.

According to a flier from the fun committee,  St. John’s is working on an incentive program to reward employees for their volunteer hours. The employees can log volunteer hours, and Wichmann said she didn’t realize how much volunteering she already did.

“You realize you do more for your community than you think,” she said.

Brandy Boettcher, a member of the fun committee, said it is a different approach on the concept of an employee council, prevalent in many workplaces.

Boettcher said the committee’s goal is to increase health and wellness and fun activities for the staff, as well as prompt employees to work with people outside their day-to-day group.

After its inception in August, the fun committee worked on a window display for Albert Lea High School Homecoming Week and won second place. It also had St. John’s go pink for October for breast cancer awareness.

In December, workers could play Christmas bingo to win white-elephant gifts as well as dress for different holiday-related themes each weekend.

Looking to the new year, fun committee member MaChar Kingstrom is working on redoing the employee wellness center at St. John’s.