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Relaxing for ROAM: Saanich yoga studio welcomes yogis and rescued pups

All admission fees are donated to the charity
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Olive, the pup who went missing in Greater Victoria in 2015, was found after 98 days. (Photo courtesy Darlene Mooney)

What could be more relaxing than puppies and feel-good stories followed by some gentle hatha flow yoga?

Yew Tree Yoga in Cadboro Bay hosts Karma yoga classes on Sundays to raise funds for ROAM (Reuniting Owners with Animals Missing), an organization that reunites missing animals in B.C. with their owners. In lieu of regular class fees, admission is by donation and the money collected goes towards supporting the efforts of ROAM volunteers.

The class runs from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and at the start of the class, a pup rescued by ROAM and their owner come in to meet the yogis and share their story.

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“It helps raise awareness about ROAM and lets people see animals that have been rescued,” explained ROAM volunteer Darlene Mooney.

She noted that folks who’ve attended the other sessions told her they didn’t even need a yoga class to help them relax after meeting the pets and hearing the heartwarming rescue stories.

There are two Sunday sessions left and at the last one, little Olive will make an appearance. The pooch escaped in Saanich in 2016 and she spent 98 days running all over Greater Victoria until volunteers were finally able to capture her.

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This is the second time the studio has done a series of Karma classes, explained owner Sam Goski. She loans out the space and the teacher volunteers their time. The teacher also chooses a charity to give all the proceeds to. Delicia Jacobs, the teacher for the current session, chose ROAM as her charity as she has a few pups of her own, Goski explained.

The yoga studio is located in Cadboro Bay village behind the Gyro Beach Board Shop and the class is open to beginners. Goski suggests registering for the class in advance as there is a limit to how many people can fit in the studio.

For information about ROAM, visit roambc.org.


@devonscarlett
devon.bidal@saanichnews.com

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