“It’s been said that when you give someone one of our sumptuous Kashwere products, it’s like giving them a hug,” says Merri Gleckler, owner of Kashwere. “This makes me smile because our desire is for Kashwere to be a tactile reminder of the importance of touching someone else’s life every day—whether that be through words, a gesture, or even a smile.”
Gleckler, a strong believer in giving back, is the creator of something called “The Circle of Good.” Together, with her sister, Lisa, her best friend Natalie, and other likeminded folk, she’s creating a community—a “Circle”—which makes it possible for her and the group to “impact other people’s lives in addition to our own by supporting causes and charities which we believe in.” One of those is Colleen’s Dream.
It was actually during a Kashwere photo shoot, thanks to her friend, colleague, and makeup artist, Linda Wagner, where Gleckler first learned about and was introduced to Nicole and Billy Cundiff. Nicole had lost her mother, Colleen, from ovarian cancer. She was 52. Gleckler also learned that this deadly disease kills more than 70 percent of women each year, due to lack of early detection.
“Prior to meeting Nicole and Billy, I had so little knowledge about ovarian cancer, and I realized that there are many people like myself who are also uninformed and unaware,” says Gleckler. She knew immediately that this was a cause she wanted to support, and, based on the principle behind The Circle of Good, she realized that she needed to use Kashwere and her relationships in the spa industry to “broaden the circle to help support and build awareness around this deadly disease and very important cause.”
September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, and Gleckler is spearheading the creation of 100 Feel Good Bags, to be distributed throughout the month. Each bag will be hand delivered to women being treated for ovarian cancer in several states. She recently reached out to Insider’sGuidetoSpas to help her spread the word. “I’ve been reaching out to spa colleagues in hopes of receiving donations to our Feel Good Bag, which includes a Kashwere customized travel blanket and socks,” she says. The company intentionally overproduced additional travel blankets to be sold in the month of September, with a percentage of proceeds given to Colleen’s Dream.
Gleckler chose Arizona-based Sanctuary on Camelback as an initial partner. Not only is the acclaimed spa one of Kashwere’s luxury spa partners, but spa director, Larae Verros, is a colleague and friend of Gleckler’s who’s a “bright out-of-the-box thinker.”
In support, Sanctuary is providing Kashwere with a location to assemble the Feel Good Bags, as well as donating the bags they’ll be using. Additionally, for the months of September and October, Sanctuary created two new $99 spa treatments, donating 10 percent of each treatment sold to Colleen’s Dream.
“My hope is that by broadening our circle, I could inspire others to share in these efforts to raise awareness by supporting ovarian cancer and Colleen’s Dream annually in the month of September,” shares Gleckler. If you’d like to learn more, visit Circle of Good and Colleen’s Dream.
Mary Bemis
A pioneering voice in spa and wellness journalism, Mary Bemis has spent four decades chronicling, championing, and helping shape the modern spa industry. As Founder and Editorial Director of Insider’s Guide to Spas, she brings a distinctive editorial perspective informed by a career that has helped define the language and landscape of spa media. Mary launched American Spa magazine in 1997, co-founded Organic Spa, and helped launch Luxury SpaFinder and NewBeauty. Her industry leadership extends to board service with ISPA, NYSPA, and WSPA, the latter two organizations she helped establish. She has also served as Special Advisor to the Balneology Association of North America. Today, she serves as Special Advisor to Global Wellness Day and sits on the board of the International Sauna Aid Foundation. Recognized among Medika Life’s Top 30 Influential Voices Transforming Wellness, Mary is also a recipient of the prestigious ISPA Dedicated Contributor Award, an inaugural Folio Top Women in Media honoree, and an American Spa Wonder Woman of Wellness. Her mission remains as steadfast as ever: to keep spa culture alive and relevant, honor its roots, challenge its shortcomings, and inspire an industry to live up to its promise.
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