MARSHALL — On Leap Day at the Marshall Area YMCA, people will be hopping on stationary bicycles, pedaling for a good cause.

Pedal for a Purpose, a team indoor cycling fundraiser hosted by the Marshall Area YMCA and Southwest Minnesota State University, will be from 8 a.m.-noon Saturday, Feb. 29, at the Marshall Y.

The idea for Pedal for a Purpose started when Jessica Dahms, associate executive director at the Marshall YMCA, participated in a fitness event brainstorming session with YMCA peers from around the state. Dahms said the Elk River YMCA had great success with a cycle-a-thon.

“When I heard that, I thought it was something we could replicate in Marshall,” she said. “At the Y, we’d been looking for fitness event opportunities outside of our road races. In the fall, we conducted a member satisfaction survey around our group exercise programs and got feedback that a fitness event that didn’t involve running was something our members wanted to see.”

The indoor cycling classes had been gaining popularity as a low-impact, high-intensity class, Dahms said, so she knew the stage was already set.

“When I approached Matt Konrad, director of personal wellness, about the idea, he was as excited as I was, so we decided to make it happen,” Dahms said.

When the idea was presented, SMSU Director of Development Stacy Frost said her first reaction was one of thanksgiving.

“How amazing to learn that a nonprofit organization in the community was interested in supporting our students through their event,” Frost said. “These community partnerships are essential in creating a strong overall experience for SMSU students. Jess and Matt did a great job of reaching out and working through the SMSU Foundation, as we aim to centralize the campus fundraising efforts. I was then able to send communication to others on campus to get the wheels turning.”

Pedal for a Purpose is a community event, Dahms said, you don’t have to be a YMCA member to participate.

Selecting SMSU and the Mustang Market was the easy part, Dahms said. About 80% of the Y’s part-time staff are SMSU students, it just became a question of which area of the university made the most sense to partner with.

“Through my involvement with Healthy56258, I learned about the Mustang Market, a food and resource pantry that helps stretch resources for students on limited budgets,” Dahms said. “Students can visit Mustang Market to receive free food and hygiene products. What I found is that there are many people in our community who were unaware of this resource.”

Crystal Watts, a member of AmeriCorps Health VISTA, said the Market serves about 65 to 80 students a month.

“We have our open Market Day that students get really excited about, but we also accommodate personal shopping appointments for sudden needs,” Watts said.

The theater and exercise science departments, Marketing and Communication staff, the Civic and Community Engagement office, the Mustang Market and even more are involved, Frost said.

“Students who find resources at the Mustang Market are sharing their thanks on a regular basis,” Frost said. “It’s humbling to read the comments and notes of thanks shared after students receive their food and toiletries. The need is great and it’s not going away anytime soon. Students are juggling jobs, school, families and probably much more than we even know.”

Watts said Pedal for a Purpose is a fun and creative idea as a fundraiser.

“Marshall residents love being an active part of supporting community causes,” Watts said. “I was pleasantly surprised that we were chosen as a recipient for the first year of this event and so honored. It means that word of this service is reaching further out into the community and that our students can feel supported and encouraged during their time at SMSU.”

During Pedal for a Purpose, items for the Mustang Market will be collected. All teams will be encouraged to bring donations, and the YMCA will also be collecting items, Dahms said.

In addition to raising funds for the Mustang Market, a portion of the funds will go to the YMCA’s YPartners Scholarship program, Dahms said.

“In 2019, the Marshall Area YMCA granted $129,000 in scholarships to families, group homes, youth and adults in the Marshall area to help 1,726 individuals gain access to water safety, child care and health and well-being options,” Dahms said.

Registration for the event is open online at https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/pedal-for-a-purpose1; space is limited. Click the “register” button to create a team. Dahms said registration is $50 and goes toward your fundraising requirement of $100. If you are going to be out of town, or want to help without riding a bike, click the “Support the Ride” button to donate.

“A maximum of 30 teams of three people each will ride for a total of four hours,” Dahms said. “Teams can divide up the riding time among their team members however they choose. Each team has one bike. Riders of all abilities are encouraged to participate.”

Dahms said teams create a unique team name, and creativity is encouraged as there will be prizes in several categories. Each team has a minimum fundraising requirement of $300 and have until 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 29 to meet, or exceed that goal.

Each 30-minute segment of the ride has a different theme, Dahms said.

“Assistant Professor of Exercise Science Kris Cleveland will be instructing one of the sections,” Dahms said. “We’ve hired a deejay, there will be refreshments throughout the event, and all participants will take part in a celebratory lunch where prizes will be awarded.” All riders will receive an event shirt and a Healthy56258 shirt, she said.

The fundraising goal of Pedal for a Purpose is $10,000, Dahms said, and the plan is for it to be an annual event.

Dahms said there are still sponsorship opportunities available. If a business wants to get involved, it should contact Konrad at mkonrad@marshallareaymca.org. Mustang Market donation items can be brought to member services the entire month of February.