Blue Ridge Yoga reaches out with class fundraisers at STAR

Blue Ridge Yoga, 623 N. Campbell Station Road, is reaching out to non-profit organizations in the area with yoga classes as fundraisers, starting with an event at Shangri-La Therapeutic Riding Academy, 11800 U.S. Highway 11 East in neighboring Lenoir City.

“We have an event at STAR from 6 to 8 p.m., Saturday, April 17,” said Jessica Mishu, Blue Ridge Yoga owner. “It’s going to be a really good evening. We’re really excited about it.

“We are going to be doing an all-level yoga class in their indoor arena,” she added. ”Anybody’s welcome, whether a seasoned yogi or a new practitioner.

“There’s going to be live acoustic music by an artist coming from Nashville, who’s going to play for us.”

On the lighter side, “There’s going to be mini horses that will be dressed up in outfits and a professional photographer to get your picture made with the mini horses,” Mishu said. After the yoga class, we have some local vendors, including Clean Juice from Turkey Creek, and we’re going to get a backstage tour of STAR.”

Ticket price is $45 per person. Mishu said 100 percent of event proceeds will go to STAR.

To participate, call Blue Ridge Yoga, 865-288-3562, or visit its website at yogaknoxvilletn.com to purchase tickets.

“We wanted to partner with STAR because Earth Day is April 22 — this is Earth Day Month,” Mishu said.

“We thought to honor our relationship with our Earth by helping an organization that works with children and adults with physical, mental and neurological disabilities, or those considered at risk, through the healing power of horses,” she added.

“Since we are an organization that has a puppy here all day because we believe in the healing power, we thought (STAR) would be a good organization since we are all animal lovers.”

Its main objective at the studio “is really to serve the community,” Mishu said. “This year we’re going to hit our goal, which is $100,000 giving back.”

But community service does not end there. She is making plans for future events, such as fundraiser classes at Zoo Knoxville May 11. “We are going to practice yoga in front of the otter exhibit,” Mishu said, adding last year at the zoo “was a lot of fun.”