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18th Annual Open House Health Fair, Saturday, Oct. 4
The past brought to the present

A grand event! More than 90 people attended our Saturday afternoon Open House, and first ever, Health Fair, even with an afternoon shower. The flow among the rooms and sessions offered by 27 different Center affiliates seemed to bring images of the children who came to classes here so may years ago: simultaneously learning, sharing and laughing throughout the schoolhouse.

Gratitude is extended to those who taught the classes and offered hours of touch and education, to those who helped organize, and to those who participated. A paraphrase from one participant: I never realized how much expertise and diversity of knowledge is available at the Center; and another said, “I learned so much.” Here is what happened.

In the Yoga Room: Sondra Mitchell and Susan Carter taught Chair Yoga; Suzanne Blaney taught Children’s Yoga; Elise Kaplovitz led GYROKINESIS®; Faezeh had a Belly Dancing demonstration; Kandy Love led an Integrated Awareness® process; and The Tires (Meredith and Doug Davison) performed Acoustic Music.

In the Massage Area: Karen and Neil Kagan touched many people with Reiki; Ginger Owen“bowled” many with her Crystal Bowls; Marlowe Bogle, Pete Campo and Gene Elverd gave many Chair Massages. In the Massage Rooms: Scott Helm led two sessions, one on Kinesio Taping and the other on Ayurvedic treatments; Becky Avers led four sessions on Craniosacral and Lymphatic Drainage; Barbara Lee Hayes led two sessions, one Kripalu Bodywork and the other on Ayurvedic treatments; Marlowe led one session on Reflexology; and Jan Johnson explained and demonstrated It Works Body Wraps.

In the Harmony Shoppe: Randy and Susy from Mother Earth served healthy snacks of sparkling water and chips, hummus, and cookies; Dave Gorrell of Spark of Life gave away bottles of oils every hour; Maggie Mullins and David Lee spoke of Mindful Meditation; Purvi Patel offered information about our new Ayurveda skin care line, Shankara; Jay Love psyched people about Shop to Earth, an online shopping mall business opportunity.

Outside on the Lawn: Another addition this year was a Silent Auction benefiting HEAL, Inc. (Haven on Earth Animal League), a no-kill, non-profit animal foster organization, making a difference in the pet overpopulation problem in Southwest Florida. They are dedicated to taking homeless animals off the streets and finding permanent homes. Under a tent outside the building Marci ……. Brought a dog and three cats to this event which had been rescued and need homes. Items were dropped off ahead of time and then $400 was generously raised in the auction. HEAL can still use old towels, rugs, blankets and sheets, bleach, canned dog and cat food, feline pine litter, and toys and treats. In another tent, Lyn Morningstar, of Morningstar Dog Training, offered her expertise on basic dog obedience skills and animal nutrition.

Support Staff: As with all events, more than one person is needed. Besides those mentioned above, these people jumped right in the day of the event and volunteered most needed support: Meredith Davison, well, was just everywhere!; Barbara Damiano collected auction money; E.T. Love and Dawn Love were greeters; Maribeth Gentile and Shannon White organized the Silent Auction; Ginger Owen typed the Silent Auction sheets; and Karen Kagan typed the session sign up sheets and room labels.

Silent Auction: Although a small gesture, we thank those 26 individuals who donated to the Silent Auction, which include Center staff, local artists and authors, and products: Beth Ivens (Artist and Yoga Student); Barbara Lee Hayes (LMT#MA); Dave Gorrell (Spark of Life); Becky Avers (LMT#MA38728); Elise Kaplovitz (GYROKINESIS® Teacher); E. T. Love (Yoga Teacher); Gene Elverd (LMT#MA); Gerri Reaves (Author and Yoga Student); Mary Robinson (Heart’s Path to Mindful Living Founder); John Fralich (Photographer and Yoga Student); Karen & Neil Kagan (Reiki Masters) ; Kathy Bledsoe (Integrated Awareness® Teacher; Kandy Love (Owner/Director); Kevin Piotrowicz (Yoga Student); Lisa Mitchell (Yoga Teacher); Maggie Tanzer (Yoga Teacher); Mark Sinibaldi (Artist); MaryLou Lisula (Nail Tech); Meredith Davison (Artist and Office Manager); Marlowe Bogle (LMT#MA33153); Pete Campo (LMT#MA37176); Robert Austin (Sound Healing Teacher; Scott Helm (LMT#MA31642); Shannon White (Artist); Sondra Mitchell (Jewel Maker and Yoga Teachers); Stephanie Sinibaldi (LMT#MA); Susan Carter (Yoga Teacher).

Due to the overwhelming success of this Health Fair, we are scheduling another in early 2009. Watch for details!

The Center was featured on Fox 4 with Wild Bill on February 20th. Go to the following link and click on "Laughter Yoga" to see our spot:

Laughter Yoga is a combination of laughing exercises, yoga breath work and playful group activities developed in 1995 by Dr. Madan Kataria, a physician from Mumbai, India. Laughter Yoga’s popularity is quickly spreading around the globe. There are over 5000 Laughter Clubs in 55 countries. For more information visit www.laughteryoga.org

Why is Laughter Yoga so popular?

*It is fun and easy, promotes joy and connects people.

*It boosts the immune system, lowers blood pressure and increases circulation.

Thanks so much for your generous spirit and support. Your faith in me was heart warming. I really enjoyed my experience in your lovely center and look forward to holding future workshops in Health & Harmony.

Voted 2007 Best Yoga on the Beach sponsored by Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce!

     Alex Rodriguez felt the wind and the salty spray of the Gulf on his face for the first time last week.

     Alex, 16, suffers from a form of muscular dystrophy, which has stolen all of his muscle movement except for some movement in his left hand.

     Alex lives with his father, Sandro Rodriguez, 36, in Lehigh Acres.

     Pete first met Alex two years ago at the Pediatric Prescribed Extended Care Facility at The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. Alex goes to the extended care facility every day for education and life skills.

     Pete brought his therapy dog, Sophie, a Yorkie, to visit Alex. Pete has been visiting Alex every Thursday since then.

     “Alex will never be seen smiling, laughing, crying, talking, eating, or even breathing on his own,” Pete said. “Yet Alex can and does experience all those emotions. He’s capable of experiencing more than that. He needs fun.”

     Pete wanted to give Alex and his family a memorable day on the water. So last week Sandro, Alex and seven other family members and caregivers boarded Pete’s boat, The Family Fisher, at the Fort Myers Boat Club.

     The handicapped assistance business Get A Grip put down a special ramp and five men helped Alex onto Pete’s pontoon boat. A big banner stretched across the boat read, “Welcome Aboard Alex.”

     That wasn’t all.

     Firefighters from Iona McGregor Fire District wanted to ensure his safety throughout his boat trip. Steve Greenberg, a paramedic, stayed on the pontoon boat with Alex.
A fire rescue boat followed the pontoon boat as well.

     Juan Morales, 16, smiled during the boat ride, knowing how much fun his cousin was having.

     “The only time he goes outside is on the bus to school or Halloween,” he said. “It’s a good thing what they’re doing for him.”

     Alex got to see birds, fish jumping and a manatee. He motored around Deep Lagoon and Palmetto Point for a two- hour trip. They stopped at Pete’s house, which is on the water, for a surprise visit with Sophie.

     But the biggest thrill for the entire family was when Bill Simpson, Iona Fire Department engineer, drove the rescue boat in a circle around the pontoon boat, creating waves, laughter and cheers.

     The only way Alex can communicate is to move his tongue. It was clear by those movements that he was happy. His father raised up Alex’s hands and waved to the boats that passed by.

     “You took a lot of years off me by doing this,” Sandro told Pete during the trip. He had tears in his eyes. “It’s the most amazing thing anyone has ever done for us.”

     He thanked the firefighters as well.

     “You are not only making Alex’s day but you gave my family a day and gave us some relief we haven’t had in a long time,” he said. “Alex feels like a king.”

     Pete couldn’t have ordered a more perfect day.

     “Nothing in this world gives me more pleasure than imagining he’s experiencing joy, taking in sights, sounds and smells he’s never known,” he said.

     The Iona McGregor Fire District and Pete Campo will take other children with disabilities on boat rides. For more information, call Pete at (239) 823-4228 or e-mail him at Pac1053@aol.com.

Whoever reads this greeting, please tell Kandy I'm thinking of her with fond regards. I hope that she makes sure that our BEGINNING YOGA flyer goes to all those new Ft. Myers' residents now living around the Center. These folk don't yet know how important yoga is for health of body, spirit and mind - and then there is "without saying" our life enhancing Massage !!!

I had a massage myself just three days ago. And I attend an Iyengar yoga class in the Australian bush each week. I drive carefully (30 MPH) to the yoga center (twenty minutes away from my home...how unusual and fortunate is that?! ) and drive very alert, I tell you, as there are kangaroo and fox darting about, deep pot holes in a dirt/gravel road, plus parrots and wombats crossing my road...to say nothing much about the log trucks, floods, fires, rabbit-shooters and fallen trees that keep me wide-eyed on the trail. Great, unusual country, this is, and it has my heart, I tell ya.
Big love to all...especially Barbara Lee, Susan C. and Barbara D. ...( I'm a poet )...Mary Lou, Scott, Marlowe, Sandra, Pete, Becky and to all newly employed H&H friends....and to all our Yoga students. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers, as I do with you.

AND

Hold onto your vision and your fondest dreams.

Eileen