WILKES-BARRE — An event celebrating its 16th year does so in a new home this year — Odyssey Fitness in Wilkes-Barre, bringing the spin-classes-for-a-cause model to the fitness center Saturday.

Spin 4 Life, a nearly two-decade-old event benefiting the Candy’s Place Cancer Wellness Center and a King’s College scholarship fund, had previously been held at the cancer wellness center. This year, Spin 4 Life was brought to Odyssey Fitness after one of the gym’s personal trainers, George Hart, 65, approached Candy’s Place with an offer to hold it at the gym.

“A lot of us have been affected by cancer,” Hart said, explaining his interest in assisting Spin 4 Life. “This gives the opportunity for us to do something good for the community.”

Hart said that the nice weather early in the day Saturday prompted exercise enthusiasts to find their way into the seats of spin bikes at the fitness center, leading to early success for the event, which ran from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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“We’ve had about 200 people so far,” Hart said optimistically as the clock neared noon. “And we still have seven hours left.”

Kaitlyn Dunbar, 24, the marketing and communications representative for Candy’s Place, was also very optimistic regarding the outcome of the event.

“It’s very successful,” Dunbar said. “We had a lot of pre-registration, and people have been walking up to make donations.”

According to Dunbar, the event, which cost cyclists $25 to register, is one of the bigger events held by Candy’s Place, typically raising around $11,000. That money directly benefits the wellness strategies employed by the center for cancer patients to use, including relaxation techniques like massage and meditation, support groups and exercise.

“For $25, you get a spin class, a mini-massage, refreshments and a T-shirt,” Dunbar said. “So I think it’s a pretty good deal.”

Spin 4 Life was started by Paul Zbiek, 65, of Plymouth Township, after his stepson, Brandon J. Case, lost his battle with leukemia in 1999. Since then, Spin 4 Life has been held to benefit both Candy’s Place and the Brandon J. Case Scholarship Fund.

At this year’s Spin 4 Life, Zbiek completed a personal challenge started on Feb. 16 to ride 1,209 miles on a stationary bike — equivalent to the distance of riding a bike from Wilkes-Barre, all around the perimeter of Pennsylvania and finally back into Wilkes-Barre.

Zbiek said that he wanted to complete this challenge as a way of honoring his late stepson. Zbiek, who teaches at King’s College, drew inspiration from a class he is teaching on a survey of Pennsylvania land and a project Case did in college about highways in Pennsylvania.

“I love being on a bike,” Zbiek said. “It’s the cause that inspires me to do this.”

Zbiek, who completed his planned mileage early into the day, said that he planned to be on his bike until the very end.

The event brought out cyclists who were looking to both help out a cause and have a good time, including one group of teachers from the Wyoming Valley West State Street Elementary School.

“It was a blast,” said Melanie Bigus, 44, one of the teachers. “It was fun to see co-workers out of work.”

While plans for next year’s Spin 4 Life have not been officially set, Hart expressed hope that Spin 4 Life would return, while Zbiek said he would love to see that happen.

“(Odyssey Fitness has) been incredible — so nice, so accommodating,” Zbiek said. “If they want us back, we’ll be here.”

A map outlines the distance Paul Zbiek would have traveled during his total time spinning for this year’s event.
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_TTL02617Spin2.jpg.optimal.jpgA map outlines the distance Paul Zbiek would have traveled during his total time spinning for this year’s event. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

Paul Zbiek spins in the annual Spin 4 Life on Saturday at Odyssey Fitness Center in Wilkes-Barre with the benefits going to the Brandon J. Case Foundation and Candy’s Place.
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_TTL02617Spin1.jpg.optimal.jpgPaul Zbiek spins in the annual Spin 4 Life on Saturday at Odyssey Fitness Center in Wilkes-Barre with the benefits going to the Brandon J. Case Foundation and Candy’s Place. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

By Patrick Kernan

pkernan@timesleader.com

Reach Patrick Kernan at 570-991-6119.