November 5×5 Night at Start Garden
Voting Closes:
November 18, 2024 11:59 pm
Impact
The goal of Hearth Sauna is to deliver an experience for our patrons that is fun for them in the moment, improves their mood for rest of their day, and positively impacts their long-term health. The fun part is subjective. We think contrast (Hot/cold) therapy feels awesome and is a perfect activity to do with friends. The other claims are rooted in science. Several scientific studies suggest that sauna improves mood and promotes relaxation and the effects can linger after leaving the sauna. Other long-term studies suggest that regular sauna use can improve cardiovascular health, relieve pain, reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure, and improve respiratory tract function. Please see our website (hearthsauna.com) for more information about these scientific studies. Perhaps the biggest positive impact from a sauna session comes because the room is too hot for phones and other electronics. It's a space to disconnect from the internet and reconnect with yourself and/or friends.
What I'll do with $5,000
Hearth Sauna opened its doors in November 2023 in Grand Rapids. We leased a plot of land that offered neither water nor electrical utilities. For this reason, we were very limited in our ability to offer proper cold exposure in the warm months. Our guests have loved the heat of the sauna but have made it clear that the cold exposure really balances out the whole experience and takes it to another level. The Grand Rapids location has closed for the summer while we search for a new space with water and electric utilities. We have several promising leads! With this $5,000 grant we would purchase an industrial cold plunge tub with a chiller, pump and filter. This will cool down the sauna bathers in the summer and allow us to operate year-round. We plan to purchase an ice bath from local artisan David Stoffer, owner of Nightjar Sauna.