Porter-Starke Encourages Mindfulness with Dedication of New Labyrinth

Porter-Starke Encourages Mindfulness with Dedication of New Labyrinth

On Wednesday afternoon, Porter-Starke Services welcomed the community to their dedication of the newest labyrinth in Valparaiso. Located on the corner of Wall Street and Cumberland Drive, the labyrinth is open year-round for the public’s use.

The new labyrinth falls right in line with Porter-Starke’s desire to help people find health, balance, and hope in their lives. Based on a medieval labyrinth on the floor of Chartres Cathedral in France, the labyrinth was created using repurposed bricks donated to Porter-Starke and provides a path for people to walk along and practice mindfulness.

“We started building this about three years ago,” said Sandy Carlson, Vice President of Clinical Services. “We built it as a tool to help people relax, find their center, bring health, balance, and hope to their life. It’s a walking meditation tool that lots of people can take advantage of.”

A major theme of the morning included encouraging a sense of community in the area. The repurposed bricks were donated from demolished buildings in Gary, something Rocco Schiralli, former CEO for Porter-Starke Services, says is a symbolic gesture of the communities coming together and creating more beautiful moments for everyone.

“We’re always trying to find ways to be innovative and work with the community,” Schiralli said. “This [labyrinth] allows you to experience a meditative walk, help you feel better, leave your troubles behind, as well as get some exercise. It also makes this corner of our community beautiful and open to the public for them to use and share.”

While Schiralli was involved during much of the planning, Porter-Starke’s newest CEO, Matt Burden was excited to see the development since his start with the company six months ago. Over that time, he’s been impressed with the development and dedication to the project.

“I’ve gotten to see the labyrinth evolve quite a bit over the past six months,” Burden said. “With the way that it’s been landscaped and the additions that have been made, and the staff that have been working on it, it has evolved into this beautiful labyrinth. It’s been wonderful to see that and all the hands that have made it happen.”

For the community, the labyrinth at Porter Starke Services offers a refreshing way to practice mindfulness and relaxation.

To learn more about Porter-Starke and their services, visit their website here!