Community superheroes sweat it out for a cause
Dozens of people made their way to the Centre on Saturday morning to participate in a three-and-a-half-hour-long “Superheroes Unite Zumbathon” fundraiser held by the Sister Cities organization to support the “Dollars for Desks” campaign meant to provide desks to students in Sariaya, Philippines.
People of all ages and from various parts of Los Angeles County broke a sweat during the energetic Zumbathon to support Sariaya, one of Santa Clarita’s sister cities.
Santa Clarita Sister Cities is the local chapter of the larger nonprofit organization Sister Cities International. The organization’s mission is to create international connections and promote cultural understanding between cities in the United States and cities internationally. Santa Clarita’s other sister city is Tena, Ecuador.
The “Superheroes Unite Zumbathon” aimed to raise money for their “Dollars for Desks” campaign, which will allow the local chapter to purchase desks for students at a local school in Sariaya, so they can further their studies with an essential tool that not many of them have, said local chapter president Elena Galvez.
“They have some desks but not all of the classrooms have desks,” said Galvez. “So if you can imagine they’re either sitting on a chair trying to take notes [using their lap] ... all of this will help fund this project.”
“They’re sweating it out for a good cause,” she added.
Numerous Zumba instructors were scheduled during the lineup so participants could experience a variety of approaches and steps taught by different teachers. Some participants had to take small breaks in between, but nonetheless, the resilience to push their body’s limits for a good cause was universal among all of them.
Jackie Otero, one of the Zumba instructors, led the group with a fun approach during her time slot and played hip hop and club music. Traditionally Zumba consists of salsa and merengue, and Otero wanted the participants to try a different genre of music, she said.
Sweaty and a bit winded, she took in a deep breath of fresh air when she stepped outside to the cool weather. Otero has been an avid Zumba dancer for over two decades and in recent years has become an instructor.
Otero thought the Sister Cities “Superheroes Unite Zumbathon” event was a wonderful idea and she didn’t hesitate to provide her services to support a good cause.
“I actually do travel a lot internationally. I have yet to travel to the Philippines [but] I have traveled to Thailand and different Asian countries,” said Otero. After she was told about the Sister Cities organization, she did her research online and thought it was a wonderful cause.
“I think we really need to be doing more of that. When you go internationally to another country you don’t understand the economics of everything we do every day. We kind of take it for granted [and] you have other kids that are underprivileged and they are looking for something like this,” she said.
As an instructor, her favorite part about the early-morning dance workout was seeing individuals from all walks of life, young and old, gathered to have fun, she said.
The goal for the local chapter was to raise $5,000, according to Galvez. They had other fundraisers leading up to the Zumbathon but “this is going to be the one that’s going to get us to our goal,” said Galvez.
Board member Jocelyn Reyes, who is also a Zumba instructor for special events, greeted attendees with a huge smile and hugs. The Zumbathon, which was originally her idea, had its first installation in January 2020, she said.
The theme of the fundraiser, which was “Superheroes,” had multiple people dressed as Superman, Wonder Woman, Cat Woman and other recognizable figures. Those who dressed up for the occasion had a chance to compete in a costume competition to make the fundraiser feel like a celebration.
“The main goal is to have fun, get a platform out there, and make a global outreach difference said Reyes. “We’re all superheroes today.”