Dartmouth town employees recently competed in a six-week challenge against 11 other municipalities and earned a $1,000 wellness grant.

The "2016 Steps Challenge" encouraged employees from various town departments — including police, schools, and town hall — to track their steps during the six-week timespan. Employees totaled more than 31 million steps, and averaged 459,825 steps each, according to a press release.

Employees' participation earned the town a $1,000 grant that can be applied toward community wellness initiatives such as installation of bike racks, new walking trails, office water coolers, consultation with a dietitian, or on-site fitness classes.

The town's Personnel Administrator Melissa Medeiros said the Wellness Committee will decide how to use the grant money at its next meeting in February.

The competition — hosted by Dartmouth’s municipal insurance provider Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association (MIIA) and health care provider Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts — was designed to increase cardiovascular fitness and encourage healthier lifestyles, according to the statement.

The challenge was free to both the municipalities and its employees. Other participants included Haverhill, Ipswich, Ludlow, Newburyport, Pittsfield, Reading, Saugus, Sutton, Taunton, Walpole, and Woburn.

The towns of Saugus and Sutton accumulated the highest average number of steps and earned $10,000 and $5,000 wellness grants from MIIA and Blue Cross, respectively. Each of the remaining 10 communities met a minimum threshold of average steps to earn a $1,000 wellness grant.

The first 100 participants who signed up in each community received a free Fitbit Zip wireless device, donated by Blue Cross, which enabled them to track steps, distance, and calories burned. Employees who already had their own Fitbit devices were also able to take part in the challenge. Each participant linked their Fitbits to Blue Cross’s online employee Prevention and Wellness portal where they could view their own standing within the entire group as well as team rankings based on average steps taken.