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Give Generously: How a barre3 owner is taking our core value next level
‘Give generously’ is one of our core values at barre3, and owner Mary Lytle is making it happen every single month at her Capitol Hill and Roosevelt studios in Seattle. A philanthropist at heart, Mary has trekked across the world, served on boards, and volunteered in her local community to make a difference. And now, she’s continuing her efforts in her studio, one class at a time.
“I love the idea of giving generously, so when I became a barre3 studio owner, I thought to myself: What can I do to get people together and make a difference?” she explains. “We started mining ideas from our community and clients and going on site visits to local charities. That’s where it all began,” she explains.
It wasn’t long before Mary kicked off donation-based classes at her studios, reserving the noon slot on the last Saturday of each month. The first class, hosted in January 2016, benefited Seattle Children’s Hospital, where several of her clients work. Today, the monthly classes are still going strong, with 100% of the proceeds going to organizations large and small, primarily local. The recipients are either near and dear to clients, or projects Mary is personally passionate about.
“My biggest goal is to raise awareness of important issues in a grassroots way,” Mary says. “As instructors, we know that there is always someone who is struggling with something. Our clients come to class to get restored, but we also have a chance to make the hour benefit them even further by spreading the word.”
The past year has been filled with quakes and shakes for a variety of important causes, including the Greater Northwest Chapter of the National MS Society, True Family Women’s Cancer Center, Sister Mary’s Children, Obliteride, Every Mother Counts, and many more. In February, Mary teamed up with her neighbors, actor Tom Skerritt and his wife Julie, a barre3 Seattle client, to host a trunk show and class for the Red Badge Project. The organization helps veterans get back to themselves in wonderful ways—through the arts, literature, storytelling, and laughter.
“When we start to focus on someone or something else, or give in whatever capacity we have available, it spreads the spirit of good,” Mary says. “As a studio owner, this is just my way of doing it, but everyone has a way. It doesn’t have to be huge—just give whatever you can spare. And know that even the smallest gestures can make a big difference.”
How do you give generously to yourself and to others? Tell us in the comments below!
‘Give generously’ is one of our core values at barre3, and owner Mary Lytle is making it happen every single month at her Capitol Hill and Roosevelt studios in Seattle. A philanthropist at heart, Mary has trekked across the world, served on boards, and volunteered in her local community to make a difference. And now, she’s continuing her efforts in her studio, one class at a time.
“I love the idea of giving generously, so when I became a barre3 studio owner, I thought to myself: What can I do to get people together and make a difference?” she explains. “We started mining ideas from our community and clients and going on site visits to local charities. That’s where it all began,” she explains.
It wasn’t long before Mary kicked off donation-based classes at her studios, reserving the noon slot on the last Saturday of each month. The first class, hosted in January 2016, benefited Seattle Children’s Hospital, where several of her clients work. Today, the monthly classes are still going strong, with 100% of the proceeds going to organizations large and small, primarily local. The recipients are either near and dear to clients, or projects Mary is personally passionate about.
“My biggest goal is to raise awareness of important issues in a grassroots way,” Mary says. “As instructors, we know that there is always someone who is struggling with something. Our clients come to class to get restored, but we also have a chance to make the hour benefit them even further by spreading the word.”
The past year has been filled with quakes and shakes for a variety of important causes, including the Greater Northwest Chapter of the National MS Society, True Family Women’s Cancer Center, Sister Mary’s Children, Obliteride, Every Mother Counts, and many more. In February, Mary teamed up with her neighbors, actor Tom Skerritt and his wife Julie, a barre3 Seattle client, to host a trunk show and class for the Red Badge Project. The organization helps veterans get back to themselves in wonderful ways—through the arts, literature, storytelling, and laughter.
“When we start to focus on someone or something else, or give in whatever capacity we have available, it spreads the spirit of good,” Mary says. “As a studio owner, this is just my way of doing it, but everyone has a way. It doesn’t have to be huge—just give whatever you can spare. And know that even the smallest gestures can make a big difference.”
How do you give generously to yourself and to others? Tell us in the comments below!
