WESTERN BUREAU:

WITH THE motivation of GoodFit instructors and upbeat music, representatives of corporate Jamaica collectively burned over 50,000 calories while raising money for the Sandals Foundation last Sunday.

The 12-hour GoodFit Charity Spin-a-thon began at 6 a.m. in Montego Bay, St James on Margaritaville's upper deck. By 2 p.m., spinners from several organisations including Sandals Resorts, Fontana Pharmacy, Good Hope, Dope Pedalers, and more, had raised close to $900,000 to be used toward Sandals Foundation's newest project - Jamaica's first 'green' school which will be located in the Whitehouse area. The final amount earned for the project was $1.7 million.

Giving back

Natalie Desnoes, GoodFit's owner and certified instructor, said she realised the importance of combining health with giving back to the community.

"GoodFit's philosophy is do good, feel good," Desnoes said. "We've been wanting to do something good for charity and bring a real awareness about health and spinning to the area for a while."

Desnoes opened up the spinning studio in Freeport this past November, following in the footsteps of several business owners who desired to bring to life the vision of spinning founder Johnny G, a South African road cyclist who endorsed the spinning bicycles with a goal to make them resemble the functions of a "real" bike. Further, the intent was to make the spinners feel like they were riding outside, according to instructor Jennifer Sage, who travelled from the United States to participate in the island's outdoor spin-a-thon.

Apart from earning money toward charity, team members also competed for prizes which included free spa treatments, complimentary Sandals Resort stays, and a catamaran cruise.

- Hope Evans