Don’t laugh. Anytime you can get a Mayor, a State Rep and two City Councilpersons to attempt the yoga tree pose on the street, you’re doing something right.
And yogi Marcia Camino is certainly doing things right.
Lakewood’s new Bike Master Plan calls for bike racks on sidewalks in front of businesses as part of an effort to become nationally recognized as one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the country by 2015. Camino commissioned a set of bike racks that function as public art from artist and sculptor David Smith, one of her first yoga students who claims Camino’s yoga practice “saved his life,” with it’s healing properties. Bike racks make perfect sense when you consider that Lakewood ranks #1 in Ohio for resident bike commuters in cities with less than 100,000 population.
The bike rack sculptures, named Big Pink Yoga Dude and Yoga Dude Junior were installed on Sat 9/29 in a public event dubbed Bend For Beck, raising money for nearby Beck Center for the Arts’ Creative Arts Therapy program. Camino plans a second fundraiser next Spring to benefit Harvest for Hunger. Dozens of yoga students, artists, community organizers and supporters raised money by bidding on raffle items and an auction of art items such as models for the sculptures. Following the bike rack / sculpture dedication, students enjoyed an open house, reception and freewill yoga classes.
From left to right: Lakewood City Councilman David Anderson, Beck Center Executive Director Cindy Einhouse, Lakewood City Councilman Tom Bullock, Pink Lotus Yoga owner and Yogi Marcia Camino, artist and sculptor David Smith, Ohio State Representative Nickie Antonio, and Lakewood Mayor Mike Summers.
And down in front: Big Pink Yoga Dude and Yoga Dude Junior. Pink Lotus Yoga incentives alternative transportation with their Pink Goes Green program and builds community through partnerships with area organizations such as Cleveland Foodbank, Edna House and her neighbor, Lakewood Congregational Church and its Youth Homeless Awareness Sleepout.
Lakewood, OH 44107