Bikram Yoga El Paseo Gives Back for St Jude’s

Ann Marie Palma, Bikram Yoga El Paseo Owner

Bikram Yoga El Paseo started Thirty Day Charity Challenges years ago and picked a different charity or individual each time, so supporting a great cause is nothing new to our studio. This past week however, we had the privilege to get involved with one of the greatest fundraising charity events ever!

The fundraising efforts were for the benefit of Children suffering with Cancer at St. Jude’s Children’s Research hospital. It wasn’t only the children’s plight that captured our hearts but the selfless organizers of this amazing annual event that started as a golf Tournament and has not only grown in participants over the past eight years but in additional fun, fundraising activities to boot.

The event has become four days long. It’s filled with golf, amazing activities, parties, and the most interesting dynamic people one would ever want to meet, and a very special Actor that made it all happen.

Patrick Warburtin and his wife Cathy visited St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for the first time in 2010. They were so impressed with the extraordinary level of patient care and research they witnessed that they knew they wanted to get involved with facilitating the Organization’s efforts in increasing pediatric cancer survival rates.

They teamed up with another St. Jude Charity fan, Clarke Rheney, (whose expertise lies in successfully running golf tournaments ) and together they created the Patrick Warburton Celebrity Golf Tournament for St. Jude Children ’s Research Hospital in March of 2011. Clarke is well know in our Valley particularly for his affiliation with both the Bob Hope Classic and the PGA Tour’s Career Builder Challenge.

In Patrick’s own words this event is truly a “win win,’ and what was most impressive to me was a conversation I had with Patrick regarding the direction of the funding. He told me a story of a charity tournament that he played in years ago that was run by a “Foundation.” All the Checks from the players, all the auction items , monetary donations etc went to the “Foundation” that later distributed the money to the stated charity. He was incensed when he learned that the charity only received 10%, and the “Foundation” a whopping 90%. He made it clear that they would never form of “Foundation” but rather that EVERY CHECK , EVERY DONATION is written DIRECTLY to St. Jude Children’s Hospital. The organizers receive nothing and all workers volunteer.

I had the amazing opportunity to get Bikram Yoga El Paseo involved in this years event. I donated yoga classes and a yoga tote bag to their auction and I donated my time on both days at the tournament with yoga mats in hand to provide the golfers with yoga stretches before they would tee off on one of the holes.

I met many givers there that donated their time, services and money to make the event a continued success. On the hole that I was stationed at alone, Morton’s Steak house generously provided delicious short rib sliders and Ahi for the players and Hangar 24 Brewery donated beer.

Since I was told that Morton’s steak house would be at the hole that I was assigned I brought a basket of floss to pass out to the players as well, and you can only imagine the laughing and jokes that were made. The Dental Hygienist in me never misses an opportunity to tell people to floss. I got the last laugh though, because after they ate the sliders the floss was no longer a joke but a well received gift many slipped into their pockets!

Also at our hole was Staff from St. Jude Children’s hospital and their dedication was truly heartwarming. I bonded with one of their fitness specialists and I was asked if Bikram Yoga El Paseo would be interested in their annual Yoga Challenge – “YOGA GIVES” in June. I didn’t hesitate to respond, YES!

We were a very small part in this years event and it left me wanting to learn more and to help more so I am thrilled to get myself and our Bikram Yoga El Paseo studio involved in their yoga program, so stay tuned and let me know if you want to be of service!

In the meantime , do yoga , be happy, floss daily and Namaste` soon in the hot room!