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LARKSVILLE &#8212; Spinning with purpose.More than 20 teachers from Wyoming Valley West&#8217;s State Street Elementary are planning to do just that at the Candy&#8217;s Place Spin4Life event on Feb. 28 at Danko&#8217;s Gym in Plains Township.Each teacher will spend an hour on an exercise bicycle.Candy&#8217;s Place is a wellness center located in Forty Fort, serving cancer patients and their families. It offers services, including yoga, meditation and exercise classes. It&#8217;s also a place for those affected by cancer to gather and realize that they are not alone.The center was founded in 1998 in memory of Candice Vincent-Mamary who lost her battle with lung cancer in 1997.The effort to assist the organization through participation in the event has been spearheaded by third-grade teacher Debra Ganz, who also serves on the Candy&#8217;s Place board of directors.Ganz said group&#8217;s participation has provided an opportunity for both bonding and community service.&#8220;With the district&#8217;s State, Pringle and Main Street schools merging several years ago,&#8221; Ganz said, &#8220;we were hoping to build friendships and to serve the community together. This was a perfect opportunity to do that.&#8221;Mary Ann Peterlin, also a third-grade teacher, who is participating in the effort for a fourth year, said she will be vying for a coveted spot in the room - the back row.&#8220;We all fight for the back row,&#8221; she said, smiling.State Rep. Aaron Kaufer, a Wyoming Valley West graduate, will also be joining the group for a second year.&#8220;I think it&#8217;s a great program and am excited to participate in it again this year,&#8221; said Kaufer, R-Kingston. &#8220;I think the ladies got a kick out of it as well.&#8221;Participating teachers have varying types of interest in physical fitness, but all said that making it through the hour-long program isn&#8217;t a problem.Fifth-grade teacher Stephanie Amy and fourth-grade teacher Beth Stefanides both work out regularly at a local gym. Third-grade teacher Marie Wisniewski is a yoga aficionado.Some of the teachers&#8217; children will also spin with the group.Ganz&#8217;s daughter Jacklyn, also a teacher, has joined her mother for the last several years, often saying up all night in preparation for the event.Reading teacher Brenda Glynn&#8217;s 15-year-old daughter will accompany her mother to this year&#8217;s event.&#8220;Its a great opportunity to encourage younger people to participate in community service,&#8221; said Glynn.Ganz lauds Paul Zbiek, who lost his stepson to leukemia, for his passion for both the cause and the event.Each year he spins for one hour for each year his stepson would have been alive, which means this year he will be spinning for 37 hours this year.She also credits the participating teachers many of whom had never used spinning equipment, but were willing to take a chance to help support Candy&#8217;s place.&#8220;I enlisted my principal, Amy Scibek, again pushing the team building and how important it was for our leaders to join us,&#8221; said Ganz. &#8220;I also recommended another teacher for the board at Candy&#8217;s Place, Melanie Bigus, so the task has become a little bit easier with two people involved.&#8221;Ganz said the teachers wear event T-shirts as a badge of honor on the Monday following their participation.&#8220;And after the event we go out and grab something to eat,&#8221; she said, smiling. &#8220;More bonding.&#8221;<style>
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<div class="neCaption">Marie Wisniewski, Brenda Glynn, Melanie Bigus, Amy Scibek, Debra Ganz, Beth Stefanides, Stephanie Amy and Mary Ann Peterlin discuss the upcoming Spin4Life event. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_TTL012816candysPlaceSpin1-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Marie Wisniewski, Brenda Glynn, Melanie Bigus, Amy Scibek, Debra Ganz, Beth Stefanides, Stephanie Amy and Mary Ann Peterlin discuss the upcoming Spin4Life event. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Geri Gibbonsggibbons@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta>Want to participate?What: Spin4LifeWhen: Saturday, February 27th, 2016Where: Danko&#8217;s All American FitnessAddress: 3 North River Street, PlainsTime: 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ~ Rides start every hourCost: $25.00 per person (45 minute ride)Included in Fee: T-shirt, refreshments and mini massagesFor more information call Candy&#8217;s Place at 570-714-8800 or access their website at <a href="&#8221;http://cancerwellnessnepa.org/spin-4-life/&#8221;" target="_blank" title="Candy">http://cancerwellnessnepa.org/spin-4-life/</a>.</factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Geri Gibbons at 570-991-6117 or on Twitter @tlggibbons. </shirttailMeta></div>

State Street Elementary teachers ready for Spin4Life