Yoga
This post is purely for me to talk about the great work Core CrossFit and it's nonprofit work in the community. I don't have a lot of details but I think it is a great story. With the parents and the gym's consent I stopped in on a class to take some photos for this post.
At Core we have a kids program several days a week for kids at risk. The gym had a desire to do something within the community and had done several projects benefiting kids in the area. This particular program started pretty organically, after school a few kids in the neighborhood would hang around and peek in the windows trying to figure out what was going on in our gym.
The coaches decided to invite them in, and as the saying goes, the rest is history... The class is free for the kids that live in the Garfield neighborhood. It's a neighborhood that can be a bit rough. The kids come to the gym after school and are given a snack and then do yoga or some other kid friendly workout.
While I was visiting (photographing) they were doing a yoga class. As the instructor lead the class she did a nice job of talking to the students about meditation. She let them know if things around them are too much with school, family or friends they can sit quietly and find the calmness (strength) within... I guess it sounds pretty basic, I hear that a lot (and I use meditation a lot). But I have had several teachers, professors that have crossed my path in my youth that made quite an impression on me. This leads me to believe that maybe it's happening now with at least one of them. This experience reminded me of being a kid and how good it felt when I found a place to belong to...
If you'd like to hear more about the gym go to www.corecrossfit.com. If you'd like to contribute to the kids program go to kids@core on Facebook. Nothing is expected and everything is appreciated.