By Katie Kerrigan This month, we decided to interview Carmen, the drive behind why we are supporting March of Dimes. We wanted to gain her perspective on why she loves BellaVita and what she believes we represent. We also wanted to gain her understanding as to why this organisation is so important to her so that we could share that with the BellaVita community. Having said this, we prepared the following questions for Carmen: 1. How long have you known about March of Dimes and why is it so important to you? I learned about March of Dimes through my friend and fellow Zumba instructor, Onix Banegas, who holds an annual Zumba event to raise funds for this organization. I have friends and family who have experienced premature births. Thankfully, they did not experience the complications associated with premature birth. Unfortunately, this is not the norm. Through March of Dimes we can help reduce premature birth in the United States and give every baby a fair chance for a healthy full-term birth. 2. How does March of Dimes’ mission relate to that of BellaVita? March of Dimes works to improve the health of mothers and babies. It strives to ensure that babies grow up to have healthy and productive lives. 3. What do you hope to achieve from combining March of Dimes and BellaVita for this event? I hope to bring more awareness to March of Dimes and to promote BellaVita, not only as a fitness and wellness brand, but as an organization that cares and gives back to the community. 4. What do you think the BellaVita members will get out of this event that is in partnership with March Of Dimes? Not only will they have fun and have a great workout, they’ll feel good knowing that they are contributing to a great cause. 5. What does BellaVita mean to you? What do you love the most about working with BellaVita? I love that BellaVita is a judgement-free community that embraces everyone’s individuality. 6. What makes BellaVita successful? Everyone in the BellaVita community - Bella, the team, and the members – brings their unique personalities and talents while working together to fulfill BellaVita’s mission. 7. How long have you worked for BellaVita? Do you remember your first day? I joined the BellaVita family in 2015. As a brand-new Zumba instructor, I was full of nerves teaching my first class at BellaVita. BellaVita’s supportive environment really helped me grow as an instructor. 8. What is your fondest memory of working with BellaVita? One of my fondest memories was the BellaVita Holiday Zumba Party that I taught with April and Quinn in 2016, which raised money for children affected by the ongoing water crisis in Flint, Michigan. We helped a great cause and I really enjoy when I teach alongside fellow BellaVita instructors. 9. What’s your best advice for anyone thinking about joining BellaVita? Take advantage of everything BellaVita has to offer. Whether you’re into Zumba or Yoga, be open to different formats to achieve a more well-rounded workout. Also, be open to taking different instructors. Each instructor has their own style and has something unique to offer. 10. What made you want to become a Zumba instructor? Tell me about yourself and your background? Ever since my youth, dance and fitness has been a big part of my life. Growing up, I practiced Filipino folk dancing, martial arts, and competitive swimming. Later, I became passionate about ballroom dance, hip-hop, and choreography. When I took my first Zumba class in 2008, I discovered that Zumba represents my own personal philosophy of dance and fitness. As far as workouts go, Zumba had what I was looking for - a fun, energetic atmosphere and an awesome community of individuals who love to dance. We hope that through this blog, you have learned more about BellaVita and what drives us to be the amazing ever-growing community that we are today! With this in mind, we want to use this in the most positive way to make an impact on the world by supporting organizations that are close to our hearts and the hearts of our community. We hope you enjoyed! Xoxo By Katie Kerrigan "We believe that every baby deserves the best possible start. Unfortunately, not all babies get one. We are changing that." March of Dimes It's April! And, as always, we are busy preparing for our monthly event. This month we have chosen to work on a cause that one of our Bella's Zumba instructor Carmen is passionate about, March of Dimes! As some of you may be aware, March of Dimes is an organization that leads the fight for the health of all mothers and premature babies. About half a million babies are born premature or with birth defects in the U.S. alone each year. On April 25th we are going to have our AMAZING instructors Carmen and Quinn who will bring you through an irresistible Zumba workout. We will have our special guest Onix Banegas, who is a dedicated advocate for March of Dimes. Having helped her sister Jacqueline through the birth of her twins Addyson and Adryana, Onix knows first hand the complications and struggles that come with premature birth. Addyson and Adryana were born 12 weeks early, at a combined weight of 4 lbs. The doctors told her that the first 24 hours were critical, and to prepare herself for the worst. We can only imagine how distressing this must have been for a mother and we want to help with the mission to ensure that all babies receive the best possible start in life. We have included a link to a video that was created by Jacqueline, demonstrating the importance of this organization. This year, Onix and Jacqueline have set the goal of raising $10,000 for March of Dimes. We would love to see you there for this event to show support for such an amazing cause. We will be welcoming any contributions no matter how big or small! There are going to be some incredible sponsors at this event, namely Just Salad, eBoost, and Rhythm Superfoods as well as Jumpgal Fitness and Mama Luisa Catering. Be sure to RSVP to info@bellavitaworld.com as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. You don't want to miss out! |
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