Students and teachers at The Studio in St. Michaels will stretch, bend and hold yoga poses on Saturday, September 13th, with open hearts and minds toward those men, women and children in Talbot County who are homeless.
According to The Studio’s Paulette Florio, “We teach yoga of and from the heart. On September 13th, we turn our hearts and attention to those in our community who are need of safe shelter. We will be holding a series of gentle yoga classes in support of this effort. You can take one or all three classes or make a contribution. All classes are gentle enough for the beginner student and relaxing and renewing enough for everyone.”
Julie Lowe, Executive Director of the Talbot Interfaith Shelter said “Rural homelessness often is a hidden problem. A vast geographic area can complicate identifying community members without shelter, but rural communities face similar economic struggles to urban areas. Here’s what we know about homelessness in Talbot County: In 2012-13, Talbot County Schools reported 98 homeless students, which translates to approximately 60 homeless families in Talbot County. At least 50 more of our neighbors lack adequate housing. On average, TIS has fielded 45 calls per month during our winter operations, and much of this need is temporary.”
Founded in 2008, TIS currently operates as a winter shelter, rotating among faith community host sites. Today, 19 partner congregations participate, and last year over 400 volunteers donated 3,571 hours. The organization also currently houses three families in off-site apartments. With the recent Board of Zoning Appeals approval to operate the Shelter at Easton’s Promise at 107 Goldsborough St., the organization expects to offer shelter in its new setting starting this winter.
The yoga studio is offering three special sessions on Saturday, September 13th. From 1:00 – 1:45 Carole Derry will lead a Restorative Yoga class. From 2:00 – 2:45, a Gentle Heart Opening Sequence will be offered by Cindy Browne. From 3:00 to 3:45, Lynda Barrow will lead a Heart opening Guided Meditation Session. The public is invited to take one or all three classes for $25.00 To register, call Paulette at 410-924-2443.
For more information, see the websites of The Studio (www.stmichaelsstudio.com) and the Talbot Interfaith Shelter (www.talbotinterfaithshelter.org).
Write a Letter to the Editor on this Article
We encourage readers to offer their point of view on this article by submitting the following form. Editing is sometimes necessary and is done at the discretion of the editorial staff.