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BEWell BEAT

2025 6th Edition (NOVEMBER/DECEMBER)


 
🐝 Buzzing through your day?
Watch the BEAT Per Minute for a lightning-fast recap, but the full read is where the real honey is! 🍯
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
  HEALTHY FOCUS  
 
SPECIAL FEATURES
 
EVENTS AND MORE

📢 ANNOUNCEMENTS

Catch the Wellness Wave at the 2026 BEWell Beach Bash! 🏖️🌊
 
Get ready to dive into your wellness benefits at the BEWell Beach Bash Vendor Fair.

Meet your wellness partners: GuidanceResources®, Personify Health, Sentara Health Plans, Wondr, and more - and discover the resources that help you ride the waves of physical, mental, and emotional wellness. Plus, enjoy photo ops and other fun activities where you can earn BEWell points (and don’t miss a chance at entering for the BEWell grand prize giveaway)! For complete details, please visit www.BenefitsAtTheBeach.com/s/communications-and-events/bewellbeachbash.

🏄‍️ There are two dates to catch the wave; ride in on the day that works for you!
Saturday, January 24, 2026

10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. | Plaza Annex, Suite 100, 641 Carriage Hill Road, Suite 100 (PDC-A, B, C)

Register by visiting
buytickets.at/bewell/1905239
Monday, January 26, 2026

1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. | Tallwood Elementary School, 2025 Kempsville Road, 23464 (Gymnasium)

Register by visiting
buytickets.at/bewell/1906117
Stop by, connect with vendors, and explore the depths of wellness resources. Don’t let this opportunity drift by - paddle in and SEAs the benefits waiting for you! 🌊
📣 Bee in the Spotlight!
 
Have you been buzzing toward better health - crushing a goal, finding new energy, or even inspiring coworkers? We want to hear your story!

✨ Share how BEWell has supported your journey, and you could be featured in BEWell and Personify Health communications.

🐝 Bee proud, bee seen, bee rewarded - submit your story by November 28 and you’ll earn 150 BEWell points.

📸 Add a fitness-fun or professional headshot photo of you, and we’ll pair it with your quote (otherwise your quote will be paired with a stock photo).

📨 Look out for an email from Personify Health with all the details for how to participate!
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🎉 Have you heard the buzz? Direct Deposit is staying in 2026! 🎉

We previously shared that the option to redeem your Rewards Cash via direct deposit would be ending after December 31. We’re excited to announce that direct deposit will continue to be available in 2026!

Remember: You can only redeem your Rewards Cash via direct deposit on a computer, and each transaction must be under $750.00. For more information, please visit the Direct Deposit FAQ page.
🍯 Make life sweeter by sticking together! Register to participate in the Healthy Habit Challenge: Social Connections.
This fall, strive to find different ways to connect with others. Developing and maintaining social connections is important to your wellbeing.

Why it matters:
Between work and busy schedules, carving out time to spend with friends and family can be a challenge. But it’s worth the effort - science suggests relationships and connections can have a powerful impact on your overall health. Building social connections is an important way to strengthen your emotional wellbeing and can increase your happiness, give you a sense of belonging, and grow your resilience to life’s challenges.

🌟 Earn up to 70 BEWell points during this challenge when you answer “YES” each day to finding different ways to connect with others.

📲 Log in to Personify Health to participate! Registration for the challenge opens November 7.

🏆 The challenge runs November 10-16, so fill up those social calendars and connect with your hive!
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2026 Update: Your NEW EAP Vendor, Here with You Every Step of the Way

Your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is getting a refresh in the new year. Starting January 1, 2026, EAP services will be provided by GuidanceResources® - offering confidential counseling, work-life resources, and even more wellbeing tools.

Be sure to read each BEAT and connect daily to Personify Health for all the latest announcements to come as we share everything you need to know about your new provider at the start of the year.

Continue to connect with Sentara EAP through December 31, 2025.

Access Sentara EAP by visiting www.SentaraEAP.com | Company Username: VIRGINIABEACH or calling (800) 899-8174.
NEW: Stay Connected, Stay Social - Follow Us! 📲

Get ready to follow the Consolidated Benefits Office on Instagram! See the latest BEWell program updates, upcoming events, educational tips, and fresh Reels and YouTube Shorts to keep you inspired and informed. Your wellness journey starts here - don’t miss out! 💪▶️✨🏖️

#HowWeBEWell

📸 Follow us @VBBenefits

 
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💓 HEALTHY FOCUS

BEWell, Stay Well: Belonging is the Cure (How Connection Transforms Loneliness into Fulfillment)
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The science of wellbeing gives those who feel lonely a new hope: the opposite of loneliness is belonging. The sharing of empathy, joy, and sadness gives life more meaning and provides an inner peace and fulfillment that can only be found through engagement with other humans.

Try these tips to bring more connection and ease loneliness:
📞 Reach out: A quick call, text, or email can go a long way.
🎨 Do what you love: Hobbies connect you with like-minded people.
📵 Cut down screen time: This includes phone, computer, TV and other devices. Make space for real-world connections.
🧠 Face tough feelings: Don’t let fear or doubt hold you back.
🩺 Take care of your health: Physical and emotional wellness matter. Seek professional help with any health issues (physical or emotional) that have been keeping you from feeling your best.

Source: Sentara EAP

BEWell has resources that can help! 
 
Sentara EAP

Get FREE short-term support with a licensed counselor to help navigate struggles, including relationship challenges.

Learn how to strengthen your connections by accessing online resources like this one: sentaraeap.personaladvantage.com/connections/interpersonal-relationships

Work with a Sentara EAP Life Coach to set and accomplish short-term goals and face your challenges.

  • Call (757) 363-6777 to schedule an appointment for short-term counseling
  • Access online resources at www.SentaraEAP.com (Company Username: VIRGINIABEACH)
  • Enroll in Life Coaching
Personify Health

Connect with coworkers to take on some healthy Challenges, schedule a Wellbeats class together, or learn more about social connections through Journeys and Headspace.   

  • Join: enroll.personifyhealth.com (Organization Sponsor: Virginia Beach City Public Schools; View Enrollment FAQs)
  • Sign in: resources at login.personifyhealth.com (Company Username: VIRGINIABEACH)
  • Download the mobile app in the App Store or Google Play Store
BEWell Champions
Partner with the BEWell Champion at your worksite to start a team wellness initiative like a walking group and take some time to connect with coworkers during a walking break or schedule your next meeting as a walking meeting.

Read the "Healthy at Work Tips” below for more ideas!
 
Learn more and view the full roster of current BEWell Champions at www.BenefitsAtTheBeach.com/s/wellness/champions
Life's a Beach Mental & Emotional Health Podcast
Watch these episodes for conversations around how you can improve your social connections:
  • Work-Life Balance
  • Importance of Community
Find the playlist on our YouTube Channel: VB Benefits
Wondr Health Weight Management Program
Partner with a friend for accountability and enroll together! Lose weight, change your relationship with food, and strengthen your network of support.
 
Add yourself to the waitlist at www.wondrhealth.com/BEWell to be notified of the next enrollment period.
Quit For Life Tobacco Cessation
You don’t have to quit tobacco alone! Join Quit For Life to work with a Quit Coach, get the resources you need (including Nicotine Replacement Therapy for those who qualify) and best of all, get an online community of support to help you quit smoking and stay quit.
  • Call: (866) 784-8454
  • Visit: quitnow.net/VirginiaBeach
  • Text: START to 34191

*View the eligibility page on our website to see which programs you are eligible to participate in.
Healthy At Work Tips: Step into Connection 🚶🏻‍🚶🏻🚶🏻
 
Feeling connected to others is essential for our mental and physical health - yet, according to a 2024 Healthy Minds poll, 1 in 3 adults feel lonely every week, and the U.S. Surgeon General has called loneliness a public health epidemic.

Small actions can make a big difference! Simple habits like reaching out to colleagues, being present, and staying active together can lift your mood and reduce isolation.

Create a walking group with coworkers or start a “Walk and Talk” or “Exercise Together” Healthy Habit Challenge in Personify Health. You’ll strengthen connections, support health goals, and earn points toward cash rewards.

Let’s take steps, literally, toward a healthier, happier workplace! 🌟
 
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Graphic of calendar with "November 20" and no smoking symbol on blue background
Breathe Easier, Live Better: Make November 20 Your Quit Day
 
If you smoke, dip, vape, or chew, Quit For Life® can help you kick the habit for good. There’s never been a better time to join!

Join the Great American Smokeout® on November 20 and take the first step toward quitting tobacco for a day - or for good. As part of your BEWell program, you have free access to Quit For Life®, a personalized tobacco cessation program offering 1:1 coaching via phone, chat, or text, plus group video sessions, daily tips, and free nicotine replacement therapy (if eligible). Get support anytime, anywhere with tools like progress trackers, quit plans, and expert guidance to help you take control and stay on track.

Ready to quit now?
📞 Call Quit For Life, (866) 784-8454
🌐 Visit quitnow.net/VirginiaBeach
💬 Text START to 34191
 
Visit our website for more program information!
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✨ SPECIAL FEATURES

Leadership Buzz: Build Social Wellness in Your Hive 🐝
 
A thriving team buzzes with connection, and as a leader, you set the tone. Help your hive stay connected by using Personify Health to spark interaction and fun.

Create a Steps Challenge, like a One Day Super Stepper, and take a lunchtime team walk. Or invite your team to join you in a Healthy Habit Challenge, like “Kind Comments” or “Helping Hand.” Friendly competition keeps energy high and relationships strong.

Don’t forget to spread the sweetness with Shoutouts! Recognize teammates who uplift others, share positivity, or bring people together. A quick “You’re the bee’s knees!” can brighten someone’s day and strengthen your team’s sense of community.

When leaders model engagement, celebrate connection, and make wellness social, it sends a powerful message: We’re all in this together!
 
Smiling group of coworkers in a ibrary setting with laptop, two coworkers giving each other a high five, orange graphic of two people helping eachother and holding a lightbulb above head
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🐝 Champion Spotlight: Tommie Boyd, Building 23’s BEWell Bee-liever!
 
This summer, Tommie Boyd, COVB BEWell Champion at Building 23 in the Virginia Beach Municipal Center, created quite a buzz with her “Summer Goals Quest.” She invited staff to write down their summer wellness goals then hosted fun activities to help them on their health and wellness journey, like a 10,000-step challenge and sharing garden-fresh veggies, while providing BEWell tips to help everyone bee their best selves.

Tommie’s efforts built a real hive of connection - coworkers cheered each other on, shared healthy habits, and felt supported all season long. Her work shows exactly what a BEWell Champion is all about: knowing your team, supporting their unique goals, and creating a workplace that buzzes with wellbeing. 🐝💛

✨ Curious who your BEWell Champion is? Want to apply to represent your worksite? Or know someone who would be a perfect fit? Visit the BEWell Champions page at www.BenefitsAtTheBeach.com/s/wellness/champions to learn more and help spread wellbeing across every work site!
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📆 EVENTS AND MORE

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View the Calendar
  • BEWell Health Screening
  • Mobile Mammography Van
  • BEWell Education Webinars
  • Wondr, Weight Management 
  • Office Closures
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Find a Health Station
Measure your height and weight at a BEWell Health Station and earn BEWell points each week! 
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Access Vendor Contacts
Find available links, email addresses and phone numbers for BEWell program vendors.
 
Download the 2025 BEWell Guide and Calendar
Not sure if you’re eligible to participate in BEWell?
View the Eligibility Chart
Contact BEWell

(757) 263-1060, option 2 | BEWell@vbschools.com | www.BenefitsAtTheBeach.com/s/wellness
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