DANCE FOR A CAUSE
Zumbathon charity event to raise money for American Diabetes Association
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.>> All are invited to dance for a cause at the upcoming second annual Zumbathon Charity Event for the American Diabetes Association.
The fundraising event will take place at 2 p.m. on April 9 at the Saratoga Springs High School gymnasium. Doors will open at 1:30 p.m.
More than 10 local Zumba instructors will dance with people from across the region to raise money to further the mission of the American Diabetes Association: to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all those affected by diabetes.
This annual event comes ahead of the June 4 Saratoga Springs Tour de Cure, a major one-day cycling fundraiser created to benefit the American Diabetes Association.
All funds raised at the April event will go directly to the American Diabetes Association as part of the Saratoga Springs Tour de Cure in June.
This local Zumbathon was started last year by Zumba instructor Mayumi Kato of the Saratoga Regional YMCA.
Kato has been riding the Tour de Cure to raise money for American Diabetes Association as a member of Kivort Steel Cycling Team, one of the top fundraising teams in New York State, for the past few years.
Meanwhile, she started teaching Zumba at Saratoga Regional YMCA, where she met some inspiring instructors who supported her idea to raise money for the American Diabetes Association with a Zumbathon.
With help from her fellow Zumba teachers, Kato hosted the inaugural Zumbathon Charity event for American Diabetes Association last spring, and it was a hit. “We were very excited to see so many participants at our very first event,” Kato said, noting that it raised more than $2,000.
“It could not have been done without participants, instructors who donated their talent and time on the stage, many local businesses that donated their products as raffle prizes, and Kivort Steel Team to accommodate us at a great venue, the Saratoga High School Gym,” Kato said.
Kato, along with many other local instructors and Zumba dancers, are looking forward to this year’s Zumbathon on April 9.
“We are so excited to be able to host this event again,” Kato said. “There will be more than 12 wonderful instructors on the stage, including a couple of new faces this year.”
The event founder is hopeful that the Zumbathon will grow every year.
“We think that our community looks forward this type of event where we all can smile, dance, sweat together for a great cause, especially during the winter,” Kato said.
In addition to aiding the Kivort Steel Cycling Team to reach its fundraising goal for the upcoming Tour de Cure, the organizers’ purpose for the 2017 Zumbathon is simply to have more people join in on the fun, which will in turn help the cause. “Our goal is not only to raise more money each year, but to raise awareness in our community about diabetes,” Kato said.
“We are honored that Mayumi and the Kivort Steel Cycling team are bringing back their Zumbathon in 2017,” said Nicole DeCelle, market executive director of both Albany and Central New York for the American Diabetes Association. “It was a tremendous success last year, as well as a great deal of fun. We are continually amazed and grateful for the support of folks like Mayumi and the creative ways in which they help raise funds and awareness for the Tour de Cure and the fight to stop diabetes. There are more than 2 million New Yorkers living with diabetes and it’s thanks to the funds raised through events like the Zumbathon, teams like Kivort Steel and riders like Mayumi that the ADA is able to continue our work in improving the lives of those impacted by diabetes and to ultimately find a cure.”
A secondary goal for Kato is to promote healthy living in the community, she said, mentioning that the Tour de Cure offers a variety of courses, starting at 10 miles. The longest route is 100 miles, with three other options in between.
“Through this event, I would like to see a synergy effect,” Kato said, hoping that Zumba-goers will try cycling and that cyclists will become interested in Zumba.
Whether its dancing, cycling or supporting those affected by diabetes, Kato invites all to get involved with the upcoming Zumbathon and Saratoga Springs Tour de Cure.
“It’s more fun to make a difference together,” she said.
For more information on the Zumbathon Charity Event for the American Diabetes Association visit www.zumba.com/enUS/event/view/zumbathon-charity-event-for-the-american-diabetes-association or www.facebook. com/events/1219619088091871.
Registration to participate in the Zumbathon is $20 per person. Attendees can pre-register online or walk-ins will be accepted.
For more information about the Saratoga Springs Tour de Cure on June 4, or to register, visit diabetes.org/saratoga.