Program Director: Denise Snyder (949)705-9516
Weaving for Wellness is an innovative concept that serves to bridge two cultures and provides meditative, creative and economic benefit to the participants. Alas de America is working with weavers in San Pedro, Buenos Aires, Argentina. The weavers were trained to use a rigid heddle loom by a cooperative. Since December 2005, we've purchased over 350 hand-loomed pashmina shawls at fair trade prices, and are offering them to donors in exchange for donations. Thus, the pashminas are helping fund our programs. The pashminas were carried at the Museum of Latin American Art (MoLAA) store in Long Beach and were displayed in Mission Viejo's 2007 "Artes de la Vida" event.
In April, 2007, Denise traveled to Argentina. She met with the weavers and is working with them to refine the product. For example, Denise suggested they use natural fibers such as cotton; have a summer and winter weight pashmina; and put together different color schemes or palettes. The feedback on the pashminas has been wonderful. We see much entrepreneurial potential in this project.
Denise Snyder
Denise is the Weaving for Wellness project director. She is a graduate of The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles and is weaving twenty years of fashion industry experience (10 years in retail and 10 years in wholesale), a passion for color and texture and an ardent desire to help others into the development of the program. She has found a home leading Weaving for Wellness, and remarks: "When we are in our dharma, it all fits like a puzzle."
Denise has been practicing and teaching hatha yoga since 2000. She is also certified as a group fitness instructor by ACE. She studied with Guru Ganga White and Tracy Rich at the White Lotus Foundation in Santa Barbara, and with well-known yoga teachers Erich Schiffman, Lisa Walford, Maty Ezraty and David Swenson. Denise continues to expand her educational experience and attends workshops offered by long-time yoga practitioners like Rodney Yee, Kofi Busia, Judith Lasater, Richard Freeman, Shiva Rae, Anna Forrest and Gabriela Giubilaro.
Denise teaches hatha yoga at Yoga Works in Mission Viejo; Lotus 7 Yoga and Pilates in Rancho Santa Margarita and Bally's and Gold's gyms. She also teaches a weekly "Stretch and Pray" class at Mount of Olives Lutheran Church in Mission Viejo.
Denise is a loving mother to two teenage sons, Tarren and Ryley. She enjoys traveling and experiencing the world's many peoples and cultures. Her life Bible verse is:
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.
Philippians 4:8
