CLEVELAND — A Northeast Ohio nonprofit is challenging employers to motivate their employees to stay active through a healthy competition. 


What You Need To Know

  • Health Action Council is hosting the Spring Step It Up Challenge sponsored by Fitbit

  • The challenge encourages workplaces to get employees to form step team

  • Team Stroller Runners are former champions

  • The challenge runs from March 14-28, and team registration is March 5.

Andrew Holung assembles a stroller he and his son have put a lot of miles on. 

“Even when I go on runs, my son and I, we’ve done over 100 miles together — ran a half marathon last easter actually,” said Holung.  

His son isn’t with him on his walk today, but he looks forward to the bonding experience when he can. 

“I can tell it’s going to mean so much when he gets older, just because he’s just always staring at trees, and he just always wants to be outside, and I think if I can kind of in part that interest, of just being outside, being active and hanging out with loved ones, I think he’ll carry that with him,” he said.  

He puts the stroller back in his car and joins Team Stroller Runners for a walk. 

“We typically go running with our children, and we have good running strollers so we thought that would be a fitting name,” said Holung.  

Holung walks the trail in Berea with his crew. He said he got into running after weight gain early in his college career. Now, the dad has found a group also committed to getting their steps in with a little competition. 

“Even one day I was hiking like nine miles and I thought I was going to be first today! Then like 9 p.m. at night, Kim just drops an extra 20, and I’m like alright, yep, yep, always just competing for first. Even on our own team!” 

Team Stroller Runners from Horizon Science Academy are joined by Patty Starr of Health Action Council, a nonprofit that’s hosting the challenge to help employers create a healthier work place.  

“It’s a great way to engage their employees on a short-term basis. And then it also helps the employer create a culture of help within their organizations on an ongoing basis. It’s a commitment to their employees,” said the President and CEO of Health Action Council Patty Star.

Holung is happy to have another reason to stay motivated. 

“Our health definitely. It’s really good to get out every day and kind of just be active and have a reason to be out there, and I would say just the teamwork, working with the team has been one of the best things,” said Holung.  

A competition keeping the steps going, but also making friendships stronger along the way.