Rebecca Rivers and her students at Northern Light Yoga in Canton are no strangers to raising money to help people in their community.
Rebecca Rivers
The studio has a history of raising money for local charities with its Breathe-A-Thon fundraisers. At the end of the fundraiser, the highest earning participant can choose a recipient organization.
“The students set a goal for themselves for how much of a mediating breathing practice they want to do each day," Rebecca said. "They get sponsors, whether other people or themselves, and raise money for a cause. The person who gets the most money gets to decide where it goes."
The fundraiser allows Rebecca’s students to not only boost their own mindset with a dedicated daily breathing practice, but also give back to the community.
“One of the reasons I started this was because I wanted my students to do more," she said. "I always wanted my students to do something together as a community and have a common goal we could all work towards, so that and the idea of also being a business that gives back to the community."
Rebecca (left) and Jules of Life Co-founder, Carmen Gendebien
Proceeds from the Breathe-A-Thon have gone to the Jules of Life Foundation in the past, which Rebecca very much appreciates.
"I’m always really happy when we support the Jules of Life Foundation because I feel what they do is very valuable and has very tangible results in the local community," Rebecca said. "It’s really meaningful to me.”
During the first year of the Breathe-A-Thon, many of the participants were involved with Relay for Life and wanted to donate to the organization. But once the studio found out there was no guarantee the donations would stay in the local community, they began looking for different donor organizations.
“That was right around the time Jules of Life was getting started, so I thought the people interested in supporting cancer care in the area would find it an excellent alternative, and the money would stay in St. Lawrence County,” Rebecca said.
The ability to donate to people in the community is important for Rebecca, especially considering the small, neighborly environment fostered in St. Lawrence County.
I always wanted my students to do something together as a community and have a common goal we could all work towards.
“That’s one of the nice things about living in a small town is you actually know so many of your neighbors," Rebecca said. "It feels really good knowing the money you raise is going to people you see in a grocery story or to people your kids go to school with. I think it enhances the experience of caring for people in our community.”
Rebecca also knows the importance of wellness, especially for cancer patients and survivors. Yoga can help keep the body in sync, whether people need help with sleeping during treatment, keeping their immune system strong, or maintaining a sense of wellbeing.
“I think wellness is very important, and there’s evidence about the values of yoga for supportive cancer care,” Rebecca said. “Often times people who are going through something as debilitating as cancer treatment can’t do much—they may go from someone who works out everyday to someone who struggles to take a walk. Yoga gives you a different way to work with your body, but without the same level of exertion that is not always recommended when going through a pretty grueling treatment regimen."
To learn more about Northern Light Yoga, you can contact Rebecca at northernlightyoga@gmail.com.