A benefit for relief efforts in Nepal is being held at the Samuel Morse Estate at Locust Grove this Sunday, July 19. When the devastating earthquake rocked the Himalayas on April 25, it took a huge toll on life, property, infrastructure and cultural heritage in a country with a population of 27 million. The deaths of nearly 9,000 people are hard to fathom, and other stats –22,000 injured, more than half a million houses fully or partially damaged, countless left homeless – loom over the land where four-to-five-point-magnitude quakes and aftershocks continue to rumble.
All this makes for a challenge of great humanitarian scope. At the International Conference on Nepal’s Reconstruction 2015 held in Kathmandu on June 25, the country’s heads of state assessed the crisis and declared their commitment to rebuild, which calls for a magnanimous response from the worldwide community. Thus, in measures great and small, people are finding ways to contribute, such as the fundraising event at Locust Grove.
“I felt like I wanted to help the people in Nepal,” says Linda Freeman, a teacher at Bliss Body Yoga in Newburgh. “I reached out to other local yoga teachers in the region to create this all-day event to raise funds and energetic healing for the people of Nepal. All proceeds from Yoga for Nepal will go through Direct Relief solely for their work in Nepal. We chose Direct Relief because they spend less than two percent of financial resources on fundraising efforts and administrative costs, and instead funnel the money they receive directly to where it is needed most.”
Doors open at 9:15 a.m. so that participants can make their way to the Estate ballroom and get themselves settled in for a day of physical and mental challenge. It will be BYOM – bring your own mat – for 45-minute-long sessions with teachers of Vinyasa Yoga, Qigong, Baptiste Power Yoga, Ayurvedic Yoga and Yin Yoga. So far the lineup includes teachers John Verner, Gary Mercurio, Maureen Benedict, Ami Hirschstein, Nita Steketee and Susannah Grange, each class beginning on the hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. To end the day in peace and harmony, Kirtan with Sergei will be led by Satya Franche from 4 to 5 p.m.
The full schedule of yoga classes will be augmented with other holistic practices, such as chair massage, reiki, reflexology and more, going on throughout the day. Participants will be able to sample all from holistic practitioners Dale Montelione Grust, Center for Therapeutic Massage, New Paltz; Amanda Snyder, Amanda Snyder Spa Therapy, Highland; Lorraine Cucci, Hands to Feet Reflexology and Healing Arts, Pleasant Valley; and others. There will be a silent auction offering up a variety of items including holistic services, restaurant gift certificates, Bardavon membership, fine art, handicrafts and more.
Spend the day at Locust Grove. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy on the lovely grounds of the Estate overlooking the Hudson River. All activities are included in the admission fee except for silent auction items. The silent action will close at 4 p.m., and items must be picked up and paid for between 4:30 and 5 p.m. All contributions through Direct Relief will be greatly appreciated.
Yoga for Nepal, Sunday, July 19, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., $35, Locust Grove: Samuel Morse Estate, 2683 South Road (Route 9), Poughkeepsie; (845) 236-3939, https://dri.convio.net/goto/yogafornepal.
Join the family! 
