Stacy LaMotta: Planning fun and good deeds
Yoga may be a calming exercise, but Stacy LaMotta is anything but placid. Her most easily identifiable trait is her energy, starting with the way her hands express her excitement as she talks about the many community events she works on.
"I've always been very passionate about two things in my life, and that's fitness and yoga and helping people. I love planning. My major in college was commercial and hospitality and recreation. Which pretty much set me up to be Julie from 'The Love Boat.' And I almost did that, actually," she said. "I was always the one that planned the events and brought them to fruition."
Originally from the Washington, D.C. area, LaMotta came to the Cape Region nearly 20 years ago when her former husband landed a job in the area.
"I said, 'Look, if you're going to pull me out of here, take me to the beach," she said.
The mother of two daughters, ages 16 and 22, LaMotta said she likes the relaxed pace at the beach better than the hustle and bustle of Washington, D.C.
"You can make what you want to out of it. You can stand out a little bit more in a smaller community. The beach doesn't hurt," she said.
For five years, LaMotta has worked part-time with Cancer Support Community Delaware, a national cancer support organization with offices in all three Delaware counties.
LaMotta started out teaching fitness and recently moved into a position as special-events coordinator.
As she talks, she spreads out the numerous fliers for her events, which cover half her desk. LaMotta's biggest event is the Southern Delaware Wine Food and Music Festival, which is heading into its third year. LaMotta said the festival came about when she was tasked by Schell Brothers to come up with community wine events. While planning, she said, the idea was hatched to have local musician and wine connoisseur Paul Cullen come in to do a cooking and wine demonstration.
"I thought, stop the clock. These are things I love so much in this world: good food, good wine and booze, and good music. So why not have a huge event that the whole public can come to and do it for charities?" LaMotta said.
To put on the event, LaMotta started her own nonprofit, Creative Coastal Connections.
"I started it as a way to give back to local charities. In the last two years, we've raised about $50,000 for charities," she continued.
This year's festival, to be held in October, will raise money for Children and Families First, Cape Henlopen Educational Foundation and Delaware Restaurant Association Education Foundation. LaMotta said she is looking to take Creative Coastal Connections beyond just the festival into other endeavors such as raising money for hospitals to help pay for equipment.
"I just have a passion for helping people. It started at a young age with helping people with fitness, and it continues even now," she said.
LaMotta was a gymnast growing up - she said her favorite discipline was floor exercise because it allowed her to dance and show her personality - and taught gymnastics before moving into yoga and Pilates.
LaMotta teaches classes at Dimitra Yoga and also does private sessions.
"I've just always been athletic. I taught almost every class you can imagine. I love yoga. It's mind, body, spirit, athletic, yet peaceful. It really brings everything into fruition. Your whole body moving with your breath. I get so much out of it," she said.
LaMotta is the event coordinator for Mantra Fest. Created by Dimitra Yoga and held in June in Lewes's Canalfront Park, the event brought together yoga, food, music and meditation. LaMotta said this year's event would feature standup paddleboard yoga and yoga on the water using huge mats that can float and hold up to six people.
"I'm really passionate for things I believe in. I'm very flexible, yet detail-oriented, if that makes any sense. I like to create new things and new experiences. I don't want to be Tom, Dick or Harry down the street. I want to put my personality behind things," LaMotta said.
