Today, Senator Lea Webb presented Rasa Spa with a NYS Empire Award. The NYS Empire Award is the highest award a NYS Senator can bestow upon businesses and organizations in their district. 

Rasa Spa has long stood as a leader in holistic wellness and integrative health in the City of Ithaca and across the Finger Lakes region. Since its founding in 2006, Rasa Spa has built a reputation as a sanctuary for healing, restoration, and personal empowerment, offering a comprehensive approach to well-being that serves the whole person, mind, body, and spirit.

Guided by a mission to foster healing and cultivate a mindful community, Rasa Spa provides a wide range of services. Their offerings include: massage therapy, skincare, energy work, and wellness education. As part of its broader vision, the organization has played a pivotal role in addressing workforce needs and advancing education in the field of wellness. By creating the Living Essence Massage Institute, Rasa Spa has helped establish a new training pathway for licensed massage therapists in the region, addressing a critical shortage in the field. Rasa Spa integrates environmentally responsible practices into every aspect of its operations, including energy-efficient infrastructure, water conservation, and the use of non-toxic, organic products and recycled materials. 

Said Rachel Hogancamp, Founder, Rasa Spa & Living Essence Massage Institute, "Receiving the NYS Empire Award is an incredible honor because it recognizes something our team has believed from the very beginning: that wellness is an essential part of a healthy community. Nearly twenty years ago, we envisioned Rasa as more than a spa; we wanted to create a place where people felt genuinely cared for and where whole-person wellness was accessible to everyone. As we celebrate the first year of Living Essence Massage Institute, I'm filled with gratitude for everyone who has helped bring that vision to life. Our greatest achievement isn't what we've built, it's the people we've had the privilege to care for, mentor, and grow alongside. This recognition inspires us to continue investing in the health of our community and the future of our profession. We share this award with the incredible team, clients, and students who inspire our journey every single day"

“Rasa Spa continues to be a longstanding business in Senate District 52, operating for twenty years since its founding in 2006,” said Senator Lea Webb. “This business has built a reputation for being the place to go for personal empowerment and healing, and has built its business model to care for not only the health of their clients, but the health of our planet as it relates to environmental sustainability. I am proud to honor them with a New York State Empire Award for all of its accomplishments.” 

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