When I was nominated to the position of committee head for the Authentic Pilates Union’s (APU) Charity Committee in autumn 2013 I felt as though my long time interest in Pilates and philanthropy had come seeking me. For many years I have felt that Pilates has a lot to offer those managing a chronic illness and I wished I had the time to organize a means to connect Pilates instructors who wanted to donate a little of their time with those individuals tackling a chronic issue but unable to afford Pilates with their already mounting medical bills. While this vision is still just a vision, I believe the APU’s Pilates Gives Back day may be among the very first steps. This is because the event unites Pilates instructors around the common goal of giving back.
Pilates Gives Back day is quite simply a single day where all members of the Pilates community can devote their talents to fund raising. The inclusiveness of this event is one of its greatest features. The unifying element is the day, Saturday September 20th this year. The rest is flexible. Anyone can participate. So, Pilates teachers, studio owners, and enthusiasts, regardless of styles or level of involvement, can plan an event to take place that day. It can happen anywhere. Studios, parks, etc. around the world will be hosting their personal version of a fundraising event that day. Here are a few examples to illustrate how the possibilities for getting involved are boundless.
The team spirit among Pilates instructors has also been a wonderful thing to witness during the planning of this event. Both Pilates Anytime and Pilatesology are participating in the Pilates Gives Back day through their online platforms. Pilates Anytime will be running a class that Kathryn Ross-Nash filmed and they will provide a means for viewers to make donations to St. Jude’s Research Hospital as well. They recently posted a blog about the upcoming event. Pilatesology has set up something very special that will be quite meaningful for all of us in the Pilates community. Mari Windsor has been diagnosed with ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, and the teachers at her studios have filmed an Ice Bucket Challenge for Pilatesology. Their fundraising is for Augie’s Quest: Cure ALS. The video can viewed by Pilatesology non-members and members alike. Simply pressing the preview button allows anyone to view it.
As you may have noticed, what charity you choose to raise funds for is up to you. As these examples demonstrate the fund raising is for various charities rather than a single organization. The members of the APU did vote for 5 charities, and many participants in Pilates Gives Back day are selecting from this list, but our goal is to support the Pilates community in a collective day of giving back to others. Thus, we encourage Pilates teachers to plan an event for a charity that is meaningful to them. This might be an organization for which a studio has fund raised in the past or it might be a non-profit that several of the clients in the studio are involved with. We do ask that people verify that their selected charity will use at least 75% of their donation specifically for the cause.
At the very foundation of all the planning and all the work we are putting into this Pilates Gives Back day is a spirit of generosity. This is the true unifying element of our event. When the group of Pilates teachers who now form the Board of Directors for the APU were first defining the contours of the organization dedicated to preserving the authentic work and philosophy of Joseph Pilates they knew that they wished to incorporate charity work in some fashion. Dana Santi, co-chair, recalls that all of them had stories of great generosity from their teachers and they wished to carry that forward. It was Kathryn Ross-Nash, the other co-chair, who suggested the idea of a single day that Pilates teachers and practitioners around the world could raise funds for charities. For months now the APU’s Charity Committee has been working behind the scenes to build the framework for the second annual Pilates Gives Back day and it is very exciting for us to see that spirit of generosity blossoming as more and more people let us know what they are planning for Pilates Gives Back day. There are many benefits for getting involved in the event and yet the feeling I experience each time I speak to a studio owner or email with a teacher is generosity. And I have been really grateful to people, like you Brett, who have joined in by helping us getting the word out to more Pilates professionals.
It is truly amazing to see people passionate about Pilates working together. The differences in styles, training programs, and so on slip away as we prepare for a day of sharing Pilates with our wider communities. Our hope is that we can all pause for a day and turn our focus from each clients’ Powerhouse to being a powerhouse of giving.
For more information on charities, participation, and how to make donations people can visit our webpage [http://www.authenticpilatesunion.com/charity/pilates-gives-back-charity-fundraiser/] and our Facebook page [http://www.facebook.com/pilatesgives].
Marie’s Bio
Marie Wittman is a Senior Teacher Trainer and Certified Pilates Teacher. She holds a PhD in medical history from Queen Mary, University of London and has founded Art and Science of Balance as a platform for educating the public about aligned movement and for providing unique continuing education to Pilates instructors. She teaches and writes about all aspects of optimal health, and is presently developing workshops on movement and women’s reproductive health.
Well known and respected in the Pilates world, she has taught in Los Angeles, London, and Paris before relocating (for the time being) to the Chicago area. In her travels she has had the good fortune to further her own study of Pilates with beloved teachers like Kathryn Ross-Nash, Brooke Siler, Jay Grimes, and Peter Fiasca. She has also dedicated time and resources to broadening her education through studying and researching everything from kinesiology and biomechanics to holistic health and wellness approaches.
Marie is quite active in the Authentic Pilates Union, serving as the committee head in the Charity Committee and as a committee member in the Education Committee.
You can reach Marie at marie@artandscienceofbalance.com