On Saturday, January 28, 2017, 35 people gathered at The Fitness Studio in Dudley, MA to continue an annual winter tradition focused on fitness and fundraising. Pedaling on stationary bikes for a marathon three-hours, participants of the Annual Kerri Murphy Spin for NOW found their stamina tested with a high-intensity spin class, all in the name of charity. An annual fundraiser for local non-profit, Northeast Opportunities for Wellness, Inc. (NOW), the spin supports scholarships and youth wellness programming for children living in the 10-town area of Northeast Connecticut. Longtime supporter of NOW, Putnam Bank returned for a second year as the official event sponsor, providing spin bandannas for participants to use.
Founded in 2012, the Spin for NOW began with a collaboration between personal trainer Amy Williams, and NOW board member Earl Rosebrooks. The Fitness Studio has played host for all six years of the event. In 2013, the event became a tribute to Kerri Murphy, the founder and original owner of The Fitness Studio, who passed away after a battle with cancer. Event organizer Earl Rosebrooks noted, “Every year we pause during the event to reflect and celebrate our memories of Kerri. I love this event and what it represents; we are grateful to The Fitness Studio and current owner, Jennifer Looney, for their continued support of the Spin.”
Rosebrooks shared statistics on the collective energy generated by participants over the three-hour event: “During a spin class, the average speed is 15-17miles an hour; for 3 hours, each person rode around 45-50 miles. Putting the entire group together, we totaled around 1800-1900 miles. In terms of calories, over the 3 hours the group burned between 1800-2200 calories, which equals the dietary guidelines daily caloric intake. Collectively, the group burned close to 80,000 calories.” The event saw people of all ages participate, with the oldest spinner at 69 years of age.
In addition to the three hours of spinning, participants were given the chance to spin the “wheel of pain” which contained a variety of fitness challenges, including: planks, burpees, yoga poses, and other exercises. Those who completed the challenges were rewarded with prizes donated by local businesses, including The Courthouse Bar & Grille, Friendly Spirits, Bistro Eighty Ates, Rawson Materials, NV Personal Fitness Training, and more. Free massages were also available, courtesy of Adept Bodywork, throughout the event. The total for the fundraiser is expected to be approximately $2,000.
Northeast Opportunities for Wellness, is a non-profit human services organization focused on youth wellness. Serving the 10-town area of Northeast Connecticut, NOW provides children with the opportunity to participate in area athletics programs, offering scholarships to the youth of the community with up to 95{935c65a732af2bdfdcd0903b52ce42ca7e95cf00c7f9fc1a7b4e2b425875eda7} of the cost being subsidized by NOW. In 2016, NOW provided 284 scholarships to local children. The mission of the organization is to provide ALL children, regardless of financial resources, equal opportunities to achieve & maintain youth wellness, beginning at an early age.