Seva: Stretching Beyond the Mat and Into the Community
Laurel Hodory supports these local programs either by direct involvement and volunteering or through her endorsement and financial support.
Franklinton Community Yoga Initiative
Bringing Yoga to Those in Need
The Franklinton Community Yoga Initiative was founded in December 2007 by Kyle Myers, Director of Project AIM, Robyn Adler, and Laurel Hodory, MS, E-RYT 500, to bring yoga to the residents of Franklinton, Ohio free of charge. Franklinton is also notoriously known as "the Bottoms" because of the floodplain status declared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in 1983, after several devastating floods had repeatedly occurred. This status resulted in several decades of economic decline because of the increased cost of floodplain insurance, driving businesses and residents out of their properties and onto the streets.
Helping the People of Franklinton Grow
In conjunction with a floodwall that was completed in 2003 that has improved zoning and floodplain insurance costs, the Franklinton Community Yoga Program will partner with well-established social service organizations delete Lower Lights Ministries and Gladden Community House to bring Yoga and the opportunity for change to the residents of Franklinton. Yoga has been reported to decrease depression, violence, conflict, and abuse—all problems which plague many of the residents of Franklinton as documented by domestic violence arrests by Columbus Police and calls to CHOICES, a local domestic violence organization.
How You Can Help
The Franklinton Community Yoga Program needs your help! In spring 2008, a pilot yoga program was begun. Currently we are restructuring the program to extend beyond Franklinton and into greater areas of need in the entire metropolitan Columbus area. Information is being collected on the best places to conduct yoga for those in need, and especially those suffering from addictions and domestic violence.
Please help us develop our organizational structure and curriculum, establish partnerships with womens' treatment centers, and educate the public. We are in need of:
- Volunteers to help with networking and conducting various clerical duties such as telephone calls, online research, and organization of meetings and events
- Volunteers with experience in working with domestic violence
- Funding to develop our web site, educational materials, marketing and yoga props
- Partners who wish to offer yoga to women in need free of charge at their facility
- Volunteer Yoga Teachers with 200RYT certification and at least 2 years consistent teaching experience
- Volunteer Web Designers and IT experts with at least 3-5 years experience
- Public Relations Volunteers who are widely networked with the Central Ohio Media
