YMCA volunteer Mark Leppo started the YMCA Spinathon 11 years ago at the Old Colony YMCA in Stoughton, MA. At the time, he had been diagnosed with Stage 4 of Merkel Carcinoma Cancer, which began a fight for his life and to save his leg. After starting chemotherapy, he had little strength, but wanted to do something to help his community.

Mark developed a plan to help children go to YMCA summer camp. As a child, he always wanted to go to Y camp, but never had that experience because his parents didnt have the resources. He remembers waiting all day for his friends to get home from camp to hear about their adventures! As he got older, he made a commitment to ensure that other children who wanted to go to Y camp, but that could not afford it, were able to attend.

Over the past 11 years, the Old Colony Ys Spinathon has raised over $1.3 million to provide scholarships for kids to attend Y summer camp!

Now cancer-free and relocated to Arizona, Mark wants to continue his mission to help kids go to Y summer camp, before and after school childcare. We need your help to make the inaugural Spinathon at the Northwest Valley YMCA a success!

We invite you to join us as we pedal for a purpose! You dont have to be a spinner or YMCA member to participate. Join members, spinners, community partners and Y friends to raise money for individuals, children and families in need throughout the local community. Individual participants and teams up to four will ride for one hour while enjoying energetic instructors, motivational music and heartfelt Y stories. All funds raised will support the Ys Annual Campaign and directly connect youth with life-changing opportunities and experiences within summer camp, before and after school programming.