In the early morning hours of Saturday, March 8, the Spinning room at ECO Fitness was filled with people from all over the community who were raising money for Pattison's Academy Summer Program.  Quietly, people filed into ECO Fitness toward the back where there was a room filled with 64 spinning bikes that were just waiting to go nowhere.

Throughout the morning, individuals and teams participated in a fundraising event to raise what most had originally considered to be an ambitious goal of $15,000.

Participants were raising money to support the only summer program in Charleston, Dorchester, and Berkeley counties that integrates therapy services with an educational curriculum for children with multiple and severe disabilities.

Some people rode for all four hours while others worked in teams to keep the wheels in motion all morning.

By 8:30 a.m., the goal of $15,000 was a distant memory.

The quiet and dimly lit room of people pedaling nowhere suddenly seemed to have a common, unspoken destination beyond where anyone could have dreamed. Children from previous summer programs were on hand to cheer the riders, and Madigan Kelly, a 5-year-old “Team Pattison Rider,” raised over $4000 as she pedaled an adapted bike at the front of the room.

ECO Fitness, its staff and instructors donated use of the equipment, the space, time, and all registration fees.

“ECO Fitness didn't make a dime from the event and 100 percent of the proceeds go to Pattison’s Academy,” said Jodi Bateman Forney, the spinning instructor who was responsible for the idea. She organized it along with Spinning Coordinator and Master Instructor, Luciana Vincion, fellow ECO spinning instructors and ECO staff.

“This is what the owners, Dave and Angela Fox envisioned when they opened the doors: a way to give back and make a difference in the community in which it does business,” added Melissa Montanaro, ECO Fitness manager. Angela Fox was also a pedaling participant.

“We are so overwhelmed with the generosity of ECO Fitness, Jodi and Luciana, all the other instructors, and staff who put so many hours into the planning of this event. Words cannot even begin to express the energy and the joy that was in that room today,”  said Pam Sloat, executive director and one of the founders of Pattison’s Academy.

“We are so thankful to the children and their families who came out today to cheer everyone on. There was a team of middle school girls from CE Williams who call themselves ‘Surf and Turf,’ and they not only raised money by spinning, but they also served by walking around for four hours handing out water and towels to the other riders. People were giving not just with money, but with their time and their hearts.  Their generosity will pay for us to operate three weeks of the camp.  This is huge.”

In addition to ECO Fitness, this event was sponsored by Cytomax, Home Medical Supplies and Equipment, Inc., The Palms Retirement Campus of Mt. Pleasant, McAlister Development Company, and Everyday Gourmet Catering.

Because of their generosity, Pattison’s Academy spent no money on this event.

“From the water to the T-shirts to the energy food, everything was donated, Sloat said. “Other local businesses donated items that we could raffle off. We had people from California who donated supplies. One of our largest donations came from Minnesota. The momentum behind this event was indescribable.  Every penny raised goes toward the summer program for children with multiple disabilities, and I hope all the joy is felt throughout the entire of the community.”

Pattison’s Academy will be hosting its third annual summer program for children with multiple and severe disabilities.  Session 1 begins June 23 and will run for three weeks at Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian Church. Session 2 will begin July 21 and will run for three weeks at Bethany United Methodist Church in Summerville. Children receive therapy services and are exposed to various educational and community opportunities such as horseback riding therapy, going to the water park, starring in a play and just participating in what children without disabilities take for granted during the summer.

Eventually, the summer program will become a year-round school. For more information about Pattison's Academy visit www.pattisonsacademy.org.  For photos from the event visit www.alicekeeneyphotography.com and click on ‘Links’ then ‘Pattison's Academy Spinning Ride.’