Women take time for self care
WEST MILFORD. Autumn Awakenings Women’s Wellness Event includes yoga, meditation and sound bath.
| 04 Oct 2023 | 01:54
AA1 DJ Neill of West Milford hosted an Autumn Awakenings Women’s Wellness Event, including yoga, meditation and sound bath, on Sept. 23. (Photos by Deirdre Mastandrea)
AA2 From left, Irena Kent of West Milford and Denise Hatley of Sparta. They have been friends for 10 years and have been doing yoga together since May.
From left, Kerri Gronyou-Schelp of West Milford and Gloria Pappicco-Doka of Bloomingdale.
Women of all ages gathered to “renew, rebalance and recharge” through an array of health and wellness activities Saturday, Sept. 23.
DJ Neill of West Milford hosted an Autumn Awakenings Women’s Wellness Event, including yoga, meditation and sound bath, at the West Milford Elks Lodge.
Empowering women is something that Neill has been called to do throughout her life.
As a Girls on the Run (GOTR) coach and coordinator, she spent the past 10 years inspiring girls to challenge themselves physically and mentally.
When she retired after the 2023 GOTR season, she decided that she wasn’t finished helping women find their inner strength and power.
Speakers at Autumn Awakenings included Alex Lewis of Align with Flow Yoga in Vernon; Dawn Benjamin, a life coach with Sistah Encourage Me; Shannon Mulligan-Mayernik of Mayernik Kitchen, an herbal apothecary in Pompton Plains; and Barbara Steinmetz of Fascia & Fitness Solutions in Wanaque.
The women who signed up for the event came for a variety of different reasons.
For some, it was a few hours to focus on their health.
Gloria Pappicco-Doka of Bloomingdale. who requires constant oxygen, came to jump-start her health. “With the humidity I can’t go out, so I’ve been home-bound. This is a great way to introduce myself to exercise again,” she said.
Kerri Gronyou-Schelp of West Milford has incorporated many wellness activities into her life and wanted to experience them at the event.
“Especially for people who are plus size, sometimes if you’re too sedentary, everything hurts. But now it doesn’t,” she said.
She set aside the day as a way of prioritizing herself. “This is my treat to myself today.”
For others, the day was simply a time to relax and enjoy being with friends.
Denise Hatley of Sparta and Irena Kent of West Milford have been friends for 10 years and have been doing yoga together since May. They came to the event to nurture themselves.
“It’s for self care,“ said Kent.
Melissa Roman of West Milford shared this sentiment. “Today was about me-time and self care. Mom is taking a break.”