It’s time to put the fun in fundraising, with a Spinathon and a Zumbathon.

I spent a recent Sunday peddling at the Spinathon organized by Doreen Agnese, Captain of Team Buckeye – OSU Surgical Oncology and Friends, and then dancing – OK, trying to dance – at the Zumbathon hosted by the four Pelotonia Sisters, a sub group of Girls With Gears.

I learned a lot, the most important thing being: Two, high-energy fundraisers in one afternoon just might be a bit too much.

More importantly, I learned: Just ask.

“I started coming to classes here to get a jump start on my training,” Doreen said of Cycle614. “I decided to ask one of the owners – Mark Placenti – about doing a fundraiser here.”

Guess what? Mark’s a Pelotonia Rider, and said yes. Mark wasn’t at Doreen’s event, and Zach Downs was at the front desk.

Guess what? Zach’s a Pelotonia Rider. We’re everywhere. “Several of us here ride in Pelotonia,” he said. “It’s so cool to see everyone come together.”

The lesson is simple: “Don’t be afraid to ask, the worst they can say is no, and you’ll be surprised how many people say yes,” Doreen said.

Doreen is a surgeon at the James who specializes in breast cancer and melanoma, and she is also a cancer survivor. She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in December 2009, was operated on successfully soon after, rode Pelotonia for the first time in 2010 and has been riding ever since.

About 35 people attended Doreen’s Spinathon, which raised $529. After it was over, Doreen and a few of her teammates started talking about asking Mark about doing it again, and soon.

The backstory to Zumbathon begins when the four Peloton Sisters – Gina Smith, Teresa Setnar, Dawn Norris and Stephanie Starr – walk into a bar (insert laughter here).

Dawn spotted Jen Burke, a Zumba instructor at Artisan Dance Studio, where she’d taken a few classes. They all start chatting and then …

“They asked me to do a fundraiser and I said yes,” Jen said.

She’s not a Rider, but Jen has a cancer connection.

“My father has leukemia,” Jen said. “So, fighting cancer is very close to my heart and it’s so amazing that (the Peloton Sisters) ride every year and I just wanted to help.”

About 30 people attended the Zumbathon and the fundraising total was $795.

If you’ve never tried Zumba, you should – it’s a lot of fun. But it’s hard, especially for rookies, and it seems that I’ve forgotten all of my dance moves – both of them!

The Peloton Sisters aren’t actual sisters, but have become quite close the past few years through Pelotonia. They ride together, socialize and fundraise together. And sometimes they wear matching Pelotonia sportswear.

“Pelotonia is all about the connections and relationships,” Dawn said.

The Peloton Sisters have another fundraising idea up their sleeve, and it involves the craft beer brewery where they came up with their Zumbathon idea.

“I know that a couple of the people there ride in Pelotonia and they’re very supportive,” said Teresa on the topic of their next fundraising event location.

Hey, it can’t hurt to ask.