SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – Health Care and Rehabilitation Services (HCRS), southeastern Vermont’s nonprofit community mental-health agency, announced recently that they raised over $6,000 for mental health at their Light Up Your Life event in Windsor on Sept. 23. The community fundraiser was held at the Path of Life Garden, which provided the perfect backdrop for this event focused around mental wellness.
The inaugural event provided an array of delights for attendees. A drumming circle around a large fire was one of the highlights of the evening. However, there were many other activities for young and old alike. In addition to the drumming circle, participants enjoyed a variety of interactive activities such as dancing yoga, creation of positivity flags, an area to remember and celebrate lost loved ones, and much more. Other features in the garden included music, poetry reading, sculpture, and fire-lit torches.
Twenty generous volunteers contributed their talents to share with others, including musicians, poets, counselors, fitness trainers, and yoga and meditation practitioners.
Financial support was provided by a number of organizations, including Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center and Execusuite, LLC. The Path of Life Garden also provided their venue free of charge.
According to Hilde Ojibway, an HCRS Board Member and key organizer of this fundraiser, “We hope this will become an annual event where people throughout the community can explore activities that will enrich their lives and strengthen their wellbeing. It was magical for me as I experienced so many sounds and sensations under a clear, starlit sky and feeling the vibrations of the drums around the fire.”
HCRS’ CEO, George Karabakakis, Ph.D., adds, “We’re so thankful to the members of our Board of Directors who coordinated this event. We also feel very fortunate that so many talented professionals from our community came out to share their talents and/or expertise with others.”