Pulse Legacy Archive December 2011 | Page 8

PHOTO © TIFFANY BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY PULSE PREVIEW T he spa industry is never short of heroes. This is one of the many truths we uncovered while putting together this special philanthropy issue of Pulse. Page after page, you’ll meet people and companies who chose to give simply because it’s the right thing to do. There are those who give specifically to health (page 24) because this advocacy is closest to their heart. And then, for some, the heroes in them are awaken by news of disaster (page 45), like the devastating tsunami in Japan, the flooding in New Orleans or the earthquake in Haiti. For others, giving takes on a new meaning when one is giving the gift of time, rarely a commodity among those running a spa or business 24/7. And yet, amidst all the hectic demands from work, many of us still find the time to volunteer to clean the community or care for abandoned animals in the hope of making a difference. According to the Embracing Advocacy article by Shelby Jones, 96 percent of spas undertake one or more community outreach efforts (ISPA 2011 U.S. Spa Industry Study). I am not at all surprised by this number, especially since the idea of giving is innately embedded in the community’s mindset, being an industry that thrives when it is able to give the gift of healing. It is also amazing that when we give, we receive three-folds more. Take for instance this yoga teacher from Kenya mentioned in Conversations (page 19) who—living in one of the country’s largest slums—gave herself to Yoga and brought the discipline to her community, in return, received the gift of “self” back. It’s indeed amazing to hear stories of generosity from people like her—heroes who walk among us, who sit right across us at work and may not be aware that they are heroes with the power of giving. How about you, do you know of any hero? Or, more importantly, are you a hero yourself? —MAE MAÑACAP-JOHNSON, EDITOR Follow us on Twitter! @ISPADoYou QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? CRITICISMS? KUDOS? Share your thoughts with us! E-mail [email protected] 6 PULSE ■ December 2011