Sara Butler, 17, has a passion for yoga, and she wants to use that passion for charity work.
The Pittston Area High School senior and Jenkins Township resident will host a hot yoga class called “Zen for Friends” as part of her National Honor Society project.
The event will be held at 9 a.m. at Charley Trippi Stadium in Yatesville on Saturday, Aug. 6, with a rain date of Saturday, Aug. 13.
Hot yoga, Butler said, is participating in the stretching art in 90-plus degree temperatures, and she’s hoping the football field turf will play a factor.
“I just thought it would be cool, especially if we get a lot of people” she said. “We can fit so many people on there and it would look cool, too.”
Helping with the project are her friends and fellow honor society members Katrina Dillon, Maggie Kraser, Shelby Gardner, Kristen Basta, Arianna Boccardi and Taylor Guarneri.
Proceeds for the event will go towards animal charities Blue Chip Farm Animal Refuge in Dallas and Indraloka Animal Sancturay in Mehoopany.
Monies will help pay for food, blankets and water for the animals.
“I love animals and that’s why I chose those two,” Butler said. “We went out to Blue Chip one day and took a tour and then went out and volunteered there, too.”
When it comes to yoga, Butler is no rookie. She’s been a member of Steamtown Hot Yoga in Scranton for two years.
She got into the art as a stress reliever and to stay in shape when she’s not participating in field hockey or swimming for her high school.
Her instructor from Steamtown Hot Yoga, Lara Alexio, will lead the yoga poses for the Zen for Friends event.
“We’re getting the the stage out that they use for graduation and my teacher will stand up there,” said Butler. “I’m going to demonstrate the pose on one side and my other friend, who just became a teacher, will demonstrate on the other side.”
Butler is hoping at least 200 participants attend, and the event is open to both beginners and experts.
“It’s not a hard class, it’s just the heat,” she said. “We’re also selling T-shirts — red and blue. Blue T-shirts are going to those who have done this sequence before and red to those who haven’t. This way, people wearing red will know who to look at if they don’t know what to do.”
Participants are asked to bring their own yoga mat, or a beach towel, and water will be provided.
This project not only helps animals, but it helps Butler’s chances of going to college when she graduates next spring.
“I want to go for business, accounting and finance,” she said. “This project is all about business because I had to come up with prices for the T-shirts, how much tickets should be and going around to businesses asking for gift baskets and donations. For me this will help me, plus I really liked yoga so that helps.”
The project doesn’t have to be completed until next May, but Butler wanted to get it out of the way to help free up her schedule during the school year.
“I have a lot of stuff to do this year,” she said. “Plus, this project probably wouldn’t work when it gets colder out.”
