A Maple Ridge group is putting together a fundraiser in form of yoga in the park, for wildfire relief in Lytton.
Moms Gone Wild (MGW), a group founded by Cheryl Zandbergen, is organizing a fundraiser for Lytton families affected by the wildfire.
But it’s not just for moms. Everyone is invited to take part.
The fundraiser, called Yoga in the Park for Lytton, will be hosted by Chelsea Keenan, a yoga and meditation teacher, along with the group, at the Maple Ridge Memorial Peace Park. The event is slated for Thursday, July 22 from 7 to 8 p.m.
“I started organizing and running by-donation yoga events back in October 2018. Since then, the traction has grown, and I’ve been fortunate enough to meet inspiring people like Cheryl ,who have partnered with me to create these fun events for families in our local community. To date, we’ve done over 60 events,” said Keenan.
The class will be by-donation, said Zandbergen. No prior yoga experience is necessary to attend this class but people will have to bring their own yoga mats.
“We like to give back to the community and have hosted several fundraisers and volunteering opportunities since we started in 2017. It is just very important as a community to let Lytton know that we stand by them,” she said.
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She has also managed to find more than 25 local businesses to participate and donate, after she put out a call for donations in her local Women in Business group. Zandbergen has collected roughly $1,000 in door prizes for the event. She also said that Mike Mulcahy, founder and chef of The Big Feast, will be donating $50 on behalf of each of his employee who participates in the event.
“It is so heartening to see the community come together like this,” she said.
Keenan, who is excited to finally do an in-person community yoga event after a 16-month hiatus due to the pandemic, is also touched by the community support.
“The fire in Lytton was devastating. As a community, Maple Ridge is coming together to show compassion and hope – by gathering in the park to do some yoga, we are letting them know that we are here to support them through this troubling time,” she said.
The funds raised through the event would go to the Canadian Red Cross BC Fire Appeals Fund. The federal and provincial governments are both matching donations to that fund through Dec. 31, 2021, Zandbergen said.
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