By Kate Knight

The second annual “Yoga 4 Paws” will be held on Saturday at The Wellness Spa in Stevens Point from 11 a.m. – noon and will benefit the Humane Society of Portage County.

Registrants made a $25 donation to attend the now sold-out event. All proceeds raised will go to the local humane society.

Ana Marie Merchak, owner and teacher at Ana Marie Yoga, will lead a yoga class at Saturday’s event.

“Yoga 4 Paws is a way for us all to come together, do a little yoga, have some fun, and support our local humane society,” Merchak said.  

She started the event last year, she said, after realizing several of her yoga students had adopted their cats and dogs from the Humane Society of Portage County, as well as Merchak, herself.

“So one day, I started throwing around the idea of having us all come together to give back to our local shelter – a way for us to help support the wonderful things that they do there.”

“We had a successful turnout at last year’s event,” Merchak recalled. “A few door prizes were given, and it was a ton of fun while raising money for HSPC.”

She said this past fall several people asked her if the event would happen again this year. Merchak said she and another yoga student brainstormed ideas to improve on the fundraising event.

This year’s participants will receive a Yoga 4 Paws T-shirt and five raffle tickets along with the yoga class. The Wellness Spa, where Merchak holds her yoga classes, and Point Embroidery & Screen are sponsors of the event. Raffle prizes include a gift basket from Hawaiian Tanning Studios, gift certificates to The Wellness Spa’s Qi Garden Salt Spa, and yoga class packages and gear from Ana Marie Yoga.

“Even if people can’t make Yoga 4 Paws this year, I hope that this is a good reminder for our community to support the Humane Society of Portage County,” Merchak said. “It doesn’t even have to be a monetary donation. Maybe consider becoming a volunteer to walk, brush and play with the animals as they wait for their forever home.”

For more information on the Humane Society of Portage County or Ana Marie Yoga, visit www.hspcwi.org or www.anamarieyoga.com.