Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/748197
It all started with a brochure tacked to a wall. Shortly after local businessman Scot McKay purchased Carmel Valley Athletic Club (CVAC) in 2004, an out-of-town friend toured the property. The grounds resembled those of a favorite spa resort, remarked the friend, who later mailed McKay a pamphlet from that destination. "Scot pinned it to the office wall that served as his idea board, and he used to talk about it from time to time," remem- bers McKay Group CEO Adam Tight. "He'd say, 'We're going to do this one day…'" That vision inspired Carmel Valley's Refuge. The hydrothermal relaxation spa opened five years ago this November, after a fire forced major renovations at CVAC. While rebuilding the main clubhouse, the leadership team outfitted a separate facility with pools, waterfalls and seating nooks surrounded by stones and stands of oak. Sadly, McKay passed away in 2013, but his wife, Heidi, and sev- eral of their children are still involved in Refuge operations. The McKay Group also oversees CVAC, Carmel's KRML radio sta- tion and Gardener Ranch, among other businesses. "Scot was always trying to find ways to improve people's lives. Refuge is just one element of that," Tight explains, citing the company's mind, body and soul-oriented mission. KRML plays into the mind aspect, by sharing music, broadcasting local news and encouraging connections within the community. CVAC addresses physical health and exercise. With Refuge, the focus is on rejuvenating the spirit. 122 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • H O L I D A Y 2 0 1 6 Soaking It In R e f u g e B e c k o n s w i t h R e l a x a t i o n a n d R e j u v e n a t i o n B Y R E N E E B R I N C K S Photo: Courtesy of Refuge