Dear Forest Bathing Friends,

 

Shortly after we announced our Forest Bathing & Yoga Retreat in St.  Lucia, the Caribbean was devastated by two hurricanes.  More national and global disasters have followed.  Fortunately for St. Lucians, they are south of the hurricane belt and were left pretty much unscathed.

 

As you know, many other islands were not so lucky and we are reducing the cost of the retreat to support one of them, Dominica. 

 

Our local St. Lucia guide and yoga leader for the retreat is Joan Ruffels and she has been following events in Dominica since September 18. We invite you to take a moment to read her appeal…

 

“Dominica is a small independent island nation in the Caribbean, that is dear to

my heart. Dominica was the first ground that Hurricane Maria landed upon, visiting the tiny

country with Category 5, 160-mph winds. Prior to the storm, I enjoyed the island as both “family” visiting with family and as a nature lover’s dream: 365 rivers, mountains, rainforests, a rugged coastline, a hidden gem with a small population of only 72,000 people, who primarily worked in agriculture.

 

Dominica is now “worse than a war zone” according to The United Nations Secretary General,

Antonio Guterres. Winds, rain, high seas and landslides affected over 85% of the island’s

structures and almost all of the country’s rainforests and national parks that made up 45% of the island, have been destroyed. Many sweet and hard-working Dominican people are now

homeless,  unemployed and isolated. Tourism, geared toward nature lovers, is at a standstill and a quick recovery is very unlikely.

 

In times like these, I question how to best be of help, where to donate, and even wonder if I can make any difference at all. And then I think about how far I’ve seen resources stretch in the hands of brothers and sisters in developing nations.”

 

Because we are positive that a collection of $100 donations will have a significant impact on the lives of Dominicans, we are reducing the price of EXPLORE YOUR TRUE NATURE, FOREST BATHING & YOGA RETREAT in St. Lucia, March 3-10, 2018 by $200. Finger Lakes Forest Therapy and Sol Shine Well will donate $100 of that to recovery efforts in Dominica. If you would like to match our $100, you can also shine as a contributor and know that you’re helping a tiny island nation in the Caribbean regain strength and build a solid future.   We plan for these donations to go directly to a project that is addressing  the  trauma and stress-related suffering of school-aged children on the island. There are so many needs but the children are the future and the sooner their trauma is addressed, the more likely they will be able to fulfill their own potential in the years of recovery ahead.

 

Will you join us in renewing ourselves and renewing Dominica?  

 

The retreat deadline is coming up on November 1! 

 

Please REGISTER TODAY to join us in exploring your true nature in St. Lucia, March 3-10 with discounted pricing!!

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