How To Become a Volunteer

If you’re in the state of Alabama and want to volunteer to help with the tornado recovery efforts it’s pretty simple. Dial 2-1-1. This number takes you to an automated line where you answer a few questions and state your areas of expertise and what you’re interested in doing to volunteer. I would recommend thinking about what you want to say before you call so you don’t get surprised with it. Also knowing what you’re going to say before hand will give you a better chance of actually getting a callback. I called last week and have yet to get a callback from them so just keep that in mind.

If you’re outside of the state, but still close by (or in the state) you can sign up at WAFF 48 news Volunteer-a-Thon.

If you’re outside of the state and too far away to drive here for a weekend of “bending your back” donate to your local Red Cross or Feeding America.

I hope to get a callback from the volunteer-a-thon soon. I pledged 8 hours of service, but really hope that I get assigned somewhere that I can do more than that. I hope they call soon because now that my house is back in order and my niece is on the mend I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and get dirty helping the neighbors get back on their feet.

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AMTA-AL State Convention – Canceled

Hi All,

Thanks for dropping by. The state convention has been canceled due to continuing power issues and damage from the numerous tornadoes that went through our area Wednesday.

Please pray for all the families affected in this area. Many of us suffered property damage as well as that most precious commodity, family members. My family didn’t escape this tragedy. My niece lost her fiance Wednesday evening and is still in ICU awaiting surgery to fix a crushed pelvis. My brother, his wife, and mother-in-law also suffered lesser injuries. I will be heading out to the Wellington, AL /Calhoun County area tomorrow with a massage table to work on family members and those strangers who come by to lend a hand with cleanup and try to offer them some comfort through touch therapy.

I’ll post information on when the convention is to be rescheduled as soon as I have it.

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Elbow Trouble

Back in the fall I started having some trouble with my elbows. Self-diagnosing, as I am prone to do, I decided I had tendonitis in both. I’m not sure that’s what it was / is as I still have not been to a doctor opting instead for self-treatment with a tennis ball, BioFreeze and a lot of poking and prodding.

While on vacation last week I was finally able to slow down enough to go get a massage. The therapist I found is in Gulf Shores, AL. Her name is Melissa Millson and she is fantastic! If you ever get down in that area give her a call.

She did some things to my forearms that I’d never experienced before and I’m happy to report that for about a week, I’ve been largely pain free. Unfortunately, this morning I woke to that familiar pain in the left elbow. So this morning was spent trying to remember all the things I did yesterday that might have irritated the forearm and the elbow. I didn’t have much luck with that tack. My days are pretty busy.

Anyway, I wanted to tell you a bit about what she did to my forearms that seemed to help so much. It’s called Bamboo Fusion and warm bamboo pieces are used to warm and massage muscles at a deep level.

I’d never had a bamboo-assisted massage and as far as I can tell she only used the bamboo on my forearms and calves, but wow was it ever worth it. I’ve known about Bamboo Fusion for several years and it’s been on the list of CEUs I’d like to take, but mostly I had relegated it down the list of things to do later.

But since I had such a lovely experience with Melissa (and my Body Reading class got canceled) I’ve done a little research and there’s a very good possibility that I’ll be taking a Bamboo Fusion class in June. I have made initial contacts with an instructor and am waiting for a response.

Why Bamboo Fusion? Well, mainly because it’s luxurious and effective deep tissue through a hands-on application. I find myself with clients who can’t experience Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy or Ashi-Thai because they’ve had recent surgeries, but who still need deep work. I’m only comfortable and capable of delivering so much with my hands. I rely on my feet for the really deep stuff. So when a regular client has, say, a hysterectomy, but is accustomed to my feet and the accompanying deep, luxurious massage, they’re not happy with my hands-on techniques. They still want the deep massage. Bamboo Fusion promises to help me deliver what they’re wanting. It’s certainly not a barefoot massage, but it apparently goes deeper than what I can deliver from the floor.

Thus, I’ll be traveling in June if all works out for that. Unless the instructor writes back and says she’ll come to me! Now that would be ideal.

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AMTA-AL Chapter Annual Convention Schedule

The schedule is finally here!

Friday, April 29th, 2011
8am – 12pm: Professional Ethics for the Massage Therapist, Gail Vaughan (4 CEUs)
1pm – 5pm: Energy Systems in Massage, Jim Klopman (4 CEUs)

Saturday, April 30th, 2011
8am – 12pm, 2pm – 4pm: Fascial Unwinding with Anatomy Review for the Shoulder, Greg Howie, Jay Jones (6 CEUs)
8am – 12pm, 2pm – 6pm + Sunday 8am – 12pm: Active Isolated Stretching, Al Meo (12 CEUs)

If you’re interested in attending any or all of these classes contact Somer Battles at Somerbattles@yahoo.com

I’ll be sending in my registration form tomorrow!

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A Change In Plans

The weather this morning is bad and forecasted to get even worse before it’s all over. The Foot Pursuit 5K is being rescheduled for probably August.

I’m disappointed, but it does look like tomorrow is going to clear off for the afternoon which is good because as a backup to today being stormed out I’ve made arrangements to work the Dispatch Dash 5K in Decatur.

Check my Facebook page for event information and I hope to see you there!

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My First Sporting Event!

One of the things I’ve been wanting to do as an Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapist is do events with my portable bars. Heck, it’s why I invested all those dollars on the portable bars.

Up until now I haven’t had much luck insinuating myself into any local events. Until yesterday when a friend texted and asked if I would donate a gift certificate to support The Special Olympics via the Decatur Police Department’s annual Torch Run. I had been involved with this organization in years past and immediately agreed.

Then I pitched, “How about I come out and work your event?” She got excited, I got excited, then we figured out I was going to be out of town that weekend, but wait, there’s another event this weekend closer to where we live.

So… Harvest Moon Massage Therapy & Reflexology will be at the Foot Pursuit 5K this Saturday giving out free massages!

Where: St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 1450 Sparkman Street, Hartselle, AL
When: March 26, ~7am – 10:30am

I would love to see you there!

And here’s a gratuitous plug for my friend / Ashi-Thai instructor. She is the subject of an article about Ashi and Athletes and put up some lovely pictures from one of her events.

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How to Get Your Massage CEUs

I recently had an email exchange with a member from the board of the American Massage Therapy Association – Alabama Chapter (AMTA-AL). I was trying to gather information about becoming a demonstrator/vendor at the AMTA Alabama State Spring Convention (April 29 – May 1). And while they no longer have a vendor portion of their convention I did find out that they will be hosting several opportunities for CEUs over the three days.

They’re affordable as well, for AMTA-AL members $30 entry into the convention and as many CEUs as you can cram into the three days. For non-members $30 entry fee and then $15 per CEU course.

The courses listed in the email were Ethics, Energy Work, Shoulder Anatomy and Protocol, and Active Isolated Stretching… This can’t be all and as soon as my Alabama Kneads newsletter gets here I’ll put up a more complete list and possibly a schedule.

So if you need your CEUs come on out to Decatur and get all you need for a much more economical rate than having to travel to multiple locations. Oh, and don’t forget to look me up and say hi!

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