Oswego State’s first Zumbathon will be held on Oct. 23 to help reach a goal of $40,000 in funds to donate to the United Way.

Campus staff and faculty have a $40,000 donation goal to help the United Way through State Employees Federated Appeal. According to a SEFA pamphlet, the organization helps over 4,000 health care and human service agencies.

Cooper and Glimmerglass fitness centers are hosting the Zumbathon in order to receive donations. The program is also being offered to get people together to have fun, according to Kristin Gublo, the event’s organizer.

"I think it’s going to be a social event for a lot of girls to just come and bring their girlfriends," she said.

The primary goal of the event is to raise donations, but it is also an event to get people to workout and exercise. The event will include three one-hour sessions of Zumba, which is a modern dance style workout that follows a video or instructor, in the Hewitt Union Ballroom. The suggested donation is $5.

Although this is the first annual Zumbathon, other programs have been held to benefit the United Way. Last week a walkathon was held, which raised almost $1,000. Gublo hopes that the Zumbathon will raise at least that much.

"Whatever we make, I’ll be happy. It’s really just about getting people out to have fun," she said.

Brian Wallace, manager of Cooper Fitness Center, agreed Zumba was a good choice.

The fitness center had been looking for a group activity to do in the fall. They host an aerobics marathon in the spring.

Zumba is the most popular class right now, both Wallace and Gublo agree.

The Zumbathon is a two-fold benefit, according to Wallace. It benefits the United Way and also gets people to exercise.

"If there’s 10 people there or 110 people there, we’ll continue this in ,the future," Wallace said. "It’s pretty simple to do."