Sweet Serenity Yoga and Wellness is adding crucial wildfire relief to its roster of animal and community support efforts by partnering with Perfect Pastures Animal Sanctuary for a biweekly outdoor fundraising event taking place in Delta this summer.
Set on Perfect Pastures’ field, Fridays at the Farm is an eight-class series that benefits the relief efforts and the animal sanctuary, a haven for farm animals and a temporary home for domestic pets needing immediate refuge.
“In addition to sending food to Northern communities and rescuing and rehoming cats, dogs and other animals, there’s another urgent need right now,” said Jenine Lehfeldt, owner of Sweet Serenity and volunteer at Perfect Pastures. “Farm animals evacuated from wildfire hot spots in B.C. and Alberta are in need of food.”
Perfect Pastures’ Maggie Ferguson is collecting donations for Purity Feed Co. in Kamloops to help purchase animal feed for horses, cows, sheep, goats, alpacas, and chickens impacted by the wildfires. She is also volunteering with the BC & Alberta Emergency Livestock/Animal/Horse Evacuation Support Group, a relief operation working to evacuate and provide medical care for livestock affected by wildfires in both provinces.
Ferguson’s dedication to animal welfare has been unwavering for more than 40 years.
In the past year, Perfect Pastures has collected and shipped 27,000 pounds of food to rescues, food banks, and northern community support workers who distribute the goods where they’re desperately needed. Ferguson’s method involves bulk packaging animal food and enlisting the help of friends and Lower Mainland transport companies who travel to remote areas.
Sweet Serenity Yoga & Wellness has organized many local fundraising initiatives for food banks, mental health programs, and, most recently, a plant and bulb sale at the end of May that raised more than $1,000 for Perfect Pastures.
Fridays at the Farm kicked off last Friday (July 9th), raising nearly $450. It continues this Friday, July 23 at 9939 Ladner Trunk Road., with additional classes taking place Aug. 6 and Aug. 20.
Each Friday, Hatha or Flow Yoga will take place from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and fitness (Refit, Zumba or Yogalates) classes will follow from 7 to 8 p.m. A minimum donation of $20 per class is required, with participants of all levels welcome; pre-register here.
