What better way to spend your Sunday morning than doing hot yoga?Â
UCF’s chapter of Tridelta decided to hold an open event to do just that to start their philanthropy week, but with an added twist: puppies. The requirements? Participants had to pay eight dollars and be at the house by 11 a.m. to enjoy the sun, socialize, and stretch, all in the name of fundraising for a good cause.
The Tridelta house was crowded even at 10 a.m., with everyone setting up and eagerly awaiting the dogs’ arrival, as well as taking pictures together. Members of other panhellenic chapters were present as well, which goes to show just how much the other chapters on this campus support each other during their respective philanthropy weeks.Â
The sorority has other events during the week, one famously known as “DHOP,” which is considered the main event. The event is open to all, and for ten dollars, participants can eat as many pancakes as they want. There are also smaller events, like Soda for St. Jude. Tridelta sold soda to raise money at the reflection pond from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday. And, of course, would there be a philanthropy week without a dunk tank?
Tridelta raises money for St. Jude, a research hospital that specializes in finding cures and helping kids with cancer and other diseases. This is the first event of their spring philanthropy week, and by the looks of it, it seems to be off to a great start.Â
According to the chapter president, Baldwin Brown, this is the first time that the chapter has ever done an event like this.
“I really like the decisions that my philanthropy team has made. We haven’t done an event like this before,” Brown said shortly before the class started.Â
The puppies (or should I say dogs) arrived a few minutes before everyone sat on the grass for 30 minutes of yoga in the sun, and once they did, pandemonium ensued.Â
A golden retriever and two giant fluffy Newfoundlands (“Newfies”) were present. As soon as yoga started, their trainers walked them through the grass where the class was taking place. The dogs stopped to say hello to participants, who in return gave them a few moments of attention.Â
The Canine Journal says that puppy yoga is very stress-relieving and meant to be more relaxed than, say, a pilates class. There are multiple reasons that this type of yoga is so beneficial, but the main ones are that it can help a participant’s mental health and allow the puppies to learn how to socialize, which is extremely important when training them.Â
Regardless, everyone wins during this kind of yoga: you get to play with dogs while trying to do a tree pose! Who doesn’t love that?
Good luck to Tridelta during their philanthropy week! #GKCO