Neighbor Spotlight: Meet Staci Pettibone and Mel Bernal!
Left: Staci Pettibone and Mel Bernal, Right: Karl and Joan Stang
When Joan Stang nominated Staci Pettibone and Mel Bernal for Neighbor(s) of the Month she was shining a light on two truly amazing community members. They are busy parents, massage therapists, and business owners, who take the time each month to give back to their community and to love those around them.
Staci and Mel are the married couple who own Whole Healing Space, a massage, Reiki, and healing center that they have been operating in Manitou Springs since 2021. Every month they accept nominations for someone in the community who could really use the gift of a massage, and then they give it. Joan says “They do this from the kindness of their hearts without fanfare or prompting of any kind. I found out about this act of kindness by chance one day when we were talking about a community member who had recently lost a loved one and how it would be nice to do something for them. Mel and Staci truly go the extra mile. This is the essence of building community and helping others in need and being a true neighbor."
The practice started as a donation of a gift card to a local non-profit, but it became clear that the impact was greater if they connected personally with someone by giving a free massage. Taking care of the body, restoring peace and health, is what Staci and Mel focus on and want to bring to all of their neighbors. They are using their business to reach out to those who need help at a body and soul level, and they say that some of their most powerful sessions are with folks who have been nominated for a free massage. “They truly live their mission by example. They genuinely care for Self, Family, Community, and Planet,” says Joan.
Joan, and her husband Karl, have been living in Manitou for 14 years. Karl is a graduate of Neighborhood University, and Joan is an active Neighborhood Leader who has hosted a Neighborhood Café and many other local events. They are “doers” and have both been actively involved in cultivating relationships and creating community for years. Staci claims that this “invitation” by example was really powerful. "Being nominated by Joan and Karl feels like such high praise. We really look up to them and the way they live and advocate in our community. So, the fact that they see what our intentions for our business have been since the beginning really hits our heart spaces with so much joy and gratitude."
As an LGBTQ couple and the parents of a transgender teenager, Staci and Mel bring a different perspective to conversations with clients. They allow space for people to come as they are, engage with differences, listen to new perspectives, and have meaningful conversation. They have felt the importance and appreciation of this in their community and said that the support they receive from neighbors, despite differences, has meant the world to them.
When they started their business Staci and Mel served mostly tourists, but today Whole Healing Space has grown into a beloved establishment for locals, partly because of their role in the community and the way they take care of their neighbors. Hey Neighbor is proud to recognize them as Neighbors of The Month!
They say “it takes one to know one” and Joan had a good eye for others who are making an impact. Do you know someone who should be our next Neighbor of The Month? Nominate them here.
