THE VISION
In October of 2007, Laurel Hicks and Gina Wasserlein participated in a Vinyasa Teacher Training with Seane Corn. During the week, the training became so much more than learning how to teach yoga. It awakened a calling within us. It awakened an overwhelming passion to serve others. In yoga, we call this Seva “selfless service”. Seane Corn is very passionate about Seva and has founded the non-profit organization called Off the Mat, Into the World® (OTM) to help inspire yogis all over the world to serve others.

This yoga program, a project of The Engage Network, helps individuals create outreach programs for causes they care about. During the program, Seane Corn (co-creator of OTM) gave a first hand account of her experience in Cambodia working directly with the Cambodian Children’s Fund (CCF), an organization that helps Cambodia’s poorest, most undereducated and vulnerable children realize their potential through education, training, healthcare and community work. After hearing Seane’s stories of heartbreak, hope, compassion and love, Laurel was inspired to take on OTM’s 2008 Seva Challenge to raise money for the CCF.

Click here to read Seane's personal story from her trip to Cambodia in August 2007.

BELIEF IN NUMBERS
To this day the CCF has given hundreds of children a new life complete with education, healthcare, and a safe home to flourish. However, there are still hundreds of children whose days are spent foraging for recyclables throughout Steung Meanchey, Phnom Penh’s 11-acre municipal garbage dump. Often called ‘Hell on Earth’, it is here where child prostitution runs rampant, and innocent children die daily of dehydration, disease, malnutrition and abuse. A meager 27% of the children survive the perils of this dump.

CREATING THE VISION
Both Gina and Laurel believe that you can make a difference in this world and you can have fun doing it. The Downtown Yoga Studio will be having a series of workshops and fundraisers whose proceeds will go to benefit these children in Cambodia. Our goal is to raise a minimum of $20,000 by December 31st, 2008.

With the project underway, Gina and Laurel are calling out for the support of family, friends, friends of friends, organizations, companies, and complete strangers who are willing to open their hearts and join their spirits in an act of Seva (‘selfless service’) for the children of Cambodia. To put things into perspective, their goal can be reached if 1000 people donate $20 each. Please join these women in helping to make their VISION POSSIBLE, and more importantly, make a difference where it counts – in the life and future of a child.