Reformer Pilates is more than fitness for mother-daughter duo Karla Roth-Bardinas and Paige Comerford, co-owners of Clemson’s Pilates Social workout studio. The art of Pilates has brought people together in more ways than the pair could have imagined.
From starting the Pilates business during Comerford’s first year out of college to launching a foundation for pediatric cancer this coming fall, Roth-Bardinas and Comerford have been through a journey that stemmed from the passing of Comerford’s close childhood friend, Mya Lin Terry.
The Hearts of Gold Gala held this past Sunday, April 6, was organized in Terry’s memory. The Mya Lin Terry Foundation and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital were the gala’s beneficiaries and aimed to raise money to support pediatric cancer research.
“Only 4% of government funding goes to pediatric cancer research. But even if I could change one mind, that is all the difference,” Comerford told The Tiger in an interview.
Comerford decided the Mya Lin Terry Foundation would be the perfect catapult to raise funds for pediatric cancer research, as her friend, for whom the foundation was named, passed away from Secondary Acute Myeloid Leukemia as a child.
“Mya instilled something in me that she always said and what she lived by, which was to do everything with your whole heart and put purpose into everything that you do.
“And so if I could leave everyone with one thing, it is never ever give up, whether it’s on your dreams, your career, whether it’s just a hobby, whether it’s your family, no matter what it is, pour your entire heart into it — do it with a purpose and that’s where you find your passion,” Comerford said.
Comerford and Roth-Bardinas decided to partner with voices around Clemson who advocated for similar philanthropic missions to connect with the city’s residents on a personal level.
Partnering with Clemson football’s Marcus Tate, an offensive lineman, was the perfect opportunity to share the deeper message behind Pilates Social with the Clemson community. Tate is the founder of the Marcus Tate Care Closet, which he has dedicated to collecting and donating hygienic and functional items for elementary school kids who don’t have access to such resources.
“We believe that elementary school is a very important time period for kids’ development. We want to create confidence for them and allow them to really focus when they’re in school so they can get everything they need out of their education,” Tate told The Tiger in an interview.
Partnering with Pilates Social has allowed Tate to reach a wider audience. Working jointly with another start-up that cares so deeply about making the surrounding community a better place to live has allowed Tate to expand his network and spread his message.
“I can’t serve everybody, but if I can inspire somebody else, there’s going to be a chain of generations of people trying to create change in this world — trying to help kids and help the misfortunate people who need it. As long as I can inspire somebody and spark their brain to really dive into that and be filled with compassion that helps somebody, I feel like that’s the legacy I want to leave,” Tate said.
Another speaker at the gala was author Grace Valentine. Valentine fills her literary work with the message of encouraging a loving lifestyle for young women. Teaming up with Pilates Social for the gala gave Valentine the opportunity to deliver her words to an audience who also cares about maintaining a well-balanced way of living for young women.
“I thought the gala was a really cool leap for a Pilates studio. When I realized their message was nurturing young women and bettering their lifestyle as well, I knew it wasn’t just about fitness,” Valentine said in an interview with The Tiger.
“This is different from the kind of events I normally do, whether that’s partnering with sororities or ministries, and I wanted to bring good to this heartfelt vision that’s expanding to kids in need,” she continued.
The gala included a live auction to garner donations and an awards ceremony to honor the charitable contributions of Pilates Social members. Comerford and Roth-Bardinas were overwhelmed with gratitude regarding the outpouring of support for the event from the Clemson community.
The two plan on continuing the Pilates Social legacy with the newfound PS Cares nonprofit foundation in the fall, which will help sustain their focus on funding pediatric cancer research.
“We are overwhelmed with love and kindness. We really love this area and are so fortunate. We just want to give back to the community in every way possible, and I see no better cause than pediatric cancer research, and we do it in honor of Mya,” Roth-Bardinas told The Tiger.
