etter from the Executive Director, Mara Rose
Sometimes the success of our efforts appears in unexpected but satisfying ways. Recently, for The Wellness Initiative, it was in the words of 14-year-old Denver CAMP student, Destiny:
“Yoga helped me know what is going on in my body. It helped me be flexible in my mind and body. Yoga calms you down when you are sad, happy, or hyper. Yoga helped me build up self-confidence and less stress. Yoga is peaceful, calming, and can help you with many problems.”
As we settle into the fall semester, I want to take a moment to reflect on the past year and look forward to the months ahead. I do this with deep gratitude and high optimism.
Achievements
The 2010–2011 school year was a great success! We continued to increase our reach and deepen our focus. We grew to serve 2,000 students in 24 schools in 5 counties in Colorado. The number of students and schools served are helpful metrics, but one of our most exciting measures is the number of student hours we provide. In the 2009–2010 school year we delivered 26,961 student hours; in the 2010–2011 school year we nearly doubled that number by delivering 45,607 student hours of yoga. This means we are going deeper with more of our students, giving them the confidence and knowledge to practice yoga on their own, throughout their lives.
To help support our growth, we held our second annual Yogathon in May; more than 550 people donated over $35,000. These funds directly support our programs in low-income schools in Colorado. The funds raised helped make it possible for us to reach our ambitious goals for the 2010–2011 school year and will help fuel our growth in the year ahead. We were delighted by the enthusiasm, dedication, and generosity with which the Yogathon was embraced by yogis, yoginis, and like-minded businesses in the Denver/Boulder metro area.
The highlight of the event for most was the opportunity to hear directly from yoga students from Schmitt Elementary School in Denver. Ten students and their devoted P.E. teacher, Naomi Geidel, traveled almost two hours by bus to join us. The students shared with the participants who had gathered to complete 108 sun salutations why they liked yoga, how it helped them, and how they used it. View a portion of thier presentation here. They also demonstrated some of the activities they do in their yoga classes. There were many tears shed as the participants connected their involvement in the Yogathon with the true impact they would have on the lives of children. The opportunity to make a direct connection and understand the effect of one’s actions is always powerful. The students each said they would like to return in 2012, and we hope you will join us too!
Goals
In the coming year The Wellness Initiative will continue on a growth trajectory and reach 2,500 students in 31 schools. In three years, we have increased our reach by over 400%, from just 6 schools in the fall of 2008.
The 2011–2012 school year promises to be exciting and productive. We hope you will join us in building a better, stronger, more connected community of instructors, supporters, partners, and advocates. We also invite you to stay tuned for more exciting news from The Wellness Initiative in the coming months. To stay up to date, please like us on Facebook (facebook.com/wellnessinitiative).
Instructor Notebook
For most of my adult life, I have been a long-distance runner. I have learned that many of the obstacles we face can be approached with the same mind-set one has when training for a marathon. We must try not to get bogged down by daily disappointments, knowing that long-term commitment will eventually enable us to achieve our goals.
This mind-set helped fuel my desire to join The Wellness Initiative’s 2011 Yogathon as a participant, volunteer, and fundraiser. I committed to completing 108 sun salutations and to raising $3,000. At first these goals seemed daunting, but I took small steps every day and eventually achieved both objectives. I could not have had the enthusiasm and determination to accomplish these goals if it weren't for the fulfillment of spending time in the classroom teaching yoga to kids for The Wellness Initiative. The students crave our teachings and the inner growth and strength they foster. In my most challenging moments at the Yogathon and during my fundraising efforts, I returned to mile 16 in my marathon mind. It’s hard, it hurts, but it’s worth it. These kids need yoga, and they need teachers who believe in them and the value yoga adds to their lives.
I was first introduced to yoga as an undergraduate pursuing a bachelor of arts degree in religious studies. Though I didn’t realize it at the time, my love for eastern studies inspired me to become a yoga teacher. I began the physical practice of yoga after college in 2004, and my understanding and passion continued to grow. My involvement with The Wellness Initiative began in January 2011. I volunteered in the classroom and as a member of the Yogathon planning committee. Four months later, I was teaching yoga and was one of the top fundraisers for the 2011 Yogathon. Both achievements have been humbling, and I wouldn’t have accomplished them without the love and generous support of friends and family.
One of the most remarkable moments for me as a yoga teacher for The Wellness Initiative was when one of my seven-year-old students came to me after class and said, "Yoga is calming. It's a thing that's in your heart and it makes you relax and hug a person and never want to let go."
I am proud to support The Wellness Initiative; I understand the impact it has on the lives of children, and I invite all of you to get involved. I hope to see many of you at our 2012 Yogathon.
Anne Chernick, Instructor and Volunteer with The Wellness Initiative
photo: Tara MacKeigan
In gratitude: 2011 Yogathon
In May we hosted our second annual Yogathon. It was a great success because of amazing support from hundreds of people. We would like to send a heartfelt thank you to those who gave of their time and treasures.
We were lucky to have an incredible group of Colorado-based yoga teachers leading the 108 sun salutations and the two master classes. They included Brandon Cox, Trista Hollerbach, Matt Kapinus, Chris Muchow, Tina Porter, Shannon Paige Schneider, and Nancy Kate Williams. These teachers were accompanied by the beautiful music of Jim Beckwith (livemusicforyoga.com) and Damon the Zen Drummer (zendrummer.com). Together, they set the tone for the event and motivated our participants to challenge themselves while supporting The Wellness Initiative.
Thank you to our sponsors. We had 39 fantastic sponsors who helped make the event dynamic, tasty, and fun for everyone. Please show your appreciation by supporting our 2011 sponsors and supporters:
Thank you to our planning committee members, Abigail Allen, Devon Bertram, Grace Boyle, Anne Chernick, Danielle Diamond, Jean Marie Hackett, Jill Moulthrop, Alison Rogers, Alan Sher, and Elizabeth Treister. This dedicated team of volunteers worked for months to plan and execute the Yogathon; simply put, it would not have been possible without their tireless efforts.
Thank you to our fundraisers. Marc Cooper and Anne Chernick were the individuals who raised the most money in sponsorships from friends and family; they each raised over $3,000. The Yoga Mat team (ontheyogamat.com), a studio in Denver, collectively raised more money ($2,368) than any other team.
photo: carlkerridge.com
photo: Tara MacKeigan
