{"id":110539,"date":"2026-06-23T13:07:38","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T17:07:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/?p=110539"},"modified":"2026-06-23T13:07:38","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T17:07:38","slug":"employees-choose-their-own-adventure-on-wellness-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/2026\/06\/employees-choose-their-own-adventure-on-wellness-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Employees choose their own adventure on Wellness Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

From painting to pickleball and nature walks to swimming, there was something for everyone at Brock University\u2019s 24th annual Wellness Day.<\/p>\n

More than 600 Brock employees stepped away from their regular routines on Monday, June 22 to celebrate community along with physical and mental wellness.<\/p>\n

Gathering to live music and coffee in the Rankin Family Pavilion, the day began with a Land Acknowledgement delivered by Labour and Employment Relations Advisor Jessica Foster, followed by opening remarks by President and Vice-Chancellor Lesley Rigg and Health Management and Wellness Manager Martina Ciglenecki.<\/p>\n

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President and Vice-Chancellor Lesley Rigg addresses the crowd at the opening ceremony during Brock\u2019s Employee Wellness Day.<\/p><\/div>\n

With more than 85 activities available on and off campus, participants immersed themselves in a day of relaxation, exploration and fun.<\/p>\n

The staff-favourite Wellness Day Barbecue, held in collaboration with the President\u2019s Office, brought everyone together midday for lunch. With a backdrop of live entertainment, colleagues shared stories from their morning activities and what they were looking forward to in the afternoon.<\/p>\n

Following the day\u2019s remaining sessions, James Iseghayan, Director of Health, Safety and Wellness, delivered a final moment of inspiration by presenting the Health, Safety and Wellness Champion Award during the closing ceremony. This year\u2019s recipient, Containment Level 3 (CL3) Laboratory Facility Manager Larissa Barelli, has demonstrated leadership, initiative and commitment both in her research environment and as part of Brock\u2019s Joint Health and Safety Committee.<\/p>\n

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James Iseghayan (left), Director of Health, Safety and Wellness, presented Containment Level 3 (CL3) Laboratory Facility Manager Larissa Barelli (right) with the Health, Safety and Wellness Champion Award.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so appreciative as I take safety very seriously; it\u2019s paramount to what I do,\u201d said Barelli. \u201cIt\u2019s also rewarding to be involved in committees at Brock, as it reflects how important safety is to the University community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wellness Day gives Brock team members the opportunity to celebrate personal health and well-being while also supporting the well-being and success of the wider University community. More than $7,000 was raised through a raffle, with proceeds donated to a non-endowed student scholarship in the name of health, safety and wellness. Winning numbers can be found on SharePoint.<\/a> Non-perishable food items were also collected for the Campus Collaborative for Student Food Security, which meets monthly to share strategies and develop Brock Food4U programming.<\/p>\n

Organized by the University\u2019s Health, Safety and Wellness team, Wellness Day continues to foster a culture of care at Brock, with feedback from participants helping to shape future events. The team is already looking forward to celebrating the milestone 25th anniversary next year.<\/p>\n\n\t