Community Yoga for Community Change
LOCK HAVEN, PA – This summer, Luna and Ha Wellness Studio partnered with the City of Lock Haven to bring ‘Yoga in the Park’ to the area and raise $250 for the United Way.
Instructor Kelly Day led participants through introductory outdoor yoga classes in June, July and August. With the goal to expand this program in the future, the vision is to reach a larger audience, and give more back to the community, both through opportunity and funds.
When someone mentions yoga, typical thoughts come to mind: you must be super flexible, petite and slim, with the expectation of being folded into seemingly impossible positions. In the opinions of Luna and Ha Wellness Studio, this perception needs to change, and the first steps are to help make yoga more accessible to all.
Throughout the summer of 2023, Lock Haven has been home to ‘Yoga in the Park’, a free monthly outdoor class held at Memorial Park aimed to bring the community together to experience the benefits of yoga first-hand.
These class offerings accepted donations earmarked for the Clinton County United Way where funds can be distributed throughout the area and have direct impacts on the place we call home.
For Luna and Ha Wellness Studio owner Cate Wenrich, and instructor Kelly Day, giving the gift of outdoor yoga to the local community is an honor. Kelly has been instructing in the area since 2015, and realizes yoga can be intimidating to a lot of people. Often statements like, “I can’t do yoga because I’m not flexible/thin/coordinated,etc..” are heard. This thinking is what she hopes to shift by offering opportunities to practice for free and with no commitments. “Getting people to experience a single yoga class is usually enough to start the shift in perception. Yoga is for all, and there is so much more to it than poses, flexibility, and strength.
Yoga is good for the mind and body by bringing awareness to your breath and what is happening in your body at that time. I personally want to share yoga with anyone wanting to try it.”
Combining this goal with a beautiful outdoor setting and using it as an opportunity to give back to the community is special. “Last summer (2022) I offered donation-based yoga to the community at a local flower garden and the feedback from folks was they wanted more! This year (2023) I wanted to move to a more central location and direct all donations back into the community. I selected the United Way because this one organization supports many programs and institutions within Clinton County and chose Memorial Park as it offers ample parking, mature shade trees, and an ideal lawn area for outdoor yoga practice. Planning for 2024 will begin in the spring with the goal of growing this program even more. I’m grateful for the help received from Kasey Campbell with the City of Lock Haven and Cate Wenrich, owner of Luna and Ha Wellness Studio for supporting this program and my goal of making yoga accessible to all.”
Kelly regularly instructs at Luna and Ha Wellness Studio, located at 132 E. Main St. Lock Haven, PA 17745. Class offerings and schedule can be viewed at www.lunahawellnessstudio.com, emailing luna.ha.yoga@gmail.com , or by calling 272.766.8715
