Students gathered at the Rec Center on March 9 to participate in a 12-hour charity Group Exercise-A-Thon.

The event supported ALS of Michigan, a charity that assists individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and their families.

ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neuromuscular disease. Patients struggle as they lose their ability to speak, swallow, move and eventually breathe.

ALS of Michigan is a charity that hits close to home for employees at the Rec Center. About a year ago, the husband of Campus Recreation Office Manager Sandy Fick was diagnosed with ALS. He died from the disease this past January.

“This is the charity that helped her through,” Andrea Hill, a senior wellness, health promotion and injury prevention major and intern at the Rec Center said.

Every participant was asked to donate at least $5 to the cause, which gave them access to 13 workout classes offered over a 12-hour period.

Punk Rock Aerobics, Belly Dancing, Yogalates and Zumba were some of the classes offered.

Alexandria Pawlusiak, a freshman nursing major who took the Punk Rock Aerobics class said the event was a good idea because it was for charity and promoted good health. For her, it was like hitting two birds with one stone, she said.

Hill thought others could learn from the event by seeing the bigger picture.

“It doesn’t matter if you know someone with ALS, you can be a part of a bigger project,” Hill said.

Others thought the event showed students can donate in their everyday lives, even if it’s just a small amount.

“You can give to charity while doing everyday things,” Nancy Reed Wilson, a sophomore nursing major, said.

The event raised over $900 to support ALS of Michigan. For more information about them visit alsofmichigan.org