Congratulations to retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Deb Beutel, another winner of our International Day of Yoga grant contest!
Deb organized her yoga event, Saving Our Warriors and our Waterways, to coincide with the 2015 Warrior Games, which will take place at the Quantico Marine Corps Base from June 19-28.
“As soon as I realized that the first International Day of Yoga is occurring in the middle of the Warrior Games, I decided this was an extraordinary opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” Deb said. “The idea of hosting yoga in the park geared towards wounded warriors and their families seemed natural.”
The event will begin at 7 a.m. at the Quantico Town Park Deck and Pier overlooking the Potomac River in Quantico, Virginia. Jen Furlong from Your Yoga will start the day with a one-hour therapeutic class, and Branden Garnett, E-RYT 200, RYT 500, from Latitude Yoga will lead the second practice from 10 – 11 a.m.
From 7 a.m. – 12 p.m., representatives from local yoga studios and the Ocean Research Project, a nonprofit organization that leads research and education efforts to protect our oceans, will have informational tables set up in the park.
Deb plans to donate her $1,000 grant to the Ocean Research Project. She said following the eight limbs of yoga has helped her understand the connection between her practice and the environment.
Though not currently a yoga instructor, Deb is enrolled in a 200-hour yoga teacher training program in Fredericksburg, Virginia. She turned to yoga for personal reasons after losing several close family and friends during an 18-month period, as well as to address ongoing health concerns.
She said her turning point was when a friend gave her a copy of How Yoga Works by Geshe Michael Roach.
“Reading that book was life changing for me,” Deb said. “I finally began to take charge of my life and health. I joined a local yoga studio, began taking yoga and attending as many yoga retreats and wellness events as I possibly could.”
Deb’s goal is to use yoga as a helpful tool for humanitarian causes she is passionate about including organizations that support cancer survivors, orphaned children, veterans or marine life conservation.
Nearly 300 athletes are currently registered for the Warrior Games on base, and Deb said hopes to have as many participants and their families as possible attend her International Day of Yoga event.
“I have worked with many local yogis and studios to try and help them get more involved with the military and wounded warriors,” Deb said. “I truly believe the more veterans we can get into yoga training, the more lives we could impact.”
Congratulations, Deb! We’re excited to see your event happen this summer, and we wish you the best of luck.
Keep your eyes out for more articles about our winners, and if you’re near any of these events, be sure to attend to support your local yoga community!