Skyview Interact sponsors Zumbathon benefit for Cystic Fibrosis

Skyview Interact sponsors Zumbathon benefit for Cystic Fibrosis

Rotary Kenai River Interact Club hosted their first Zumbathon last week to raise funds to fight Cystic Fibrosis. The Interact Club at Skyview High School is sponsored by the Soldotna Rotary Club and is a club for youth ages 12-18 who want to join together to tackle community service issues that they care about in their local community, nation or world. “Zumba instructor Harmony Curtis has a three year old little girl Alicia, better known as Ali who has Cystic Fibrosis. Her twin sister Melody, also a Zumba instructor, suggested our Interact club sponsor a community Zumbathon and use the proceeds to help find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis,” Moira Pyhala, Interact president told the Dispatch in an interview.

“It’s really encouraging to see the community support the effort to find a cure. The Interact youth are inspiring and they did a great job volunteering to put this event together,” said Harmony Curtis. Harmony and her twin sister Melody hold weekly “Harmony/Melody Zumba” classes at Soldotna Middle School.

Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disorder for which there is no cure that affects most critically the lungs, pancreas, liver and intestine. “It’s mainly a children’s disease. There are a lot of people who are recessive carriers of it and 30,000 people in the U.S. have the disease. There is no cure yet, but today because of new treatments kids with CF can live into their thirty’s now, but we’d like them to live longer and hopefully find the cure,” said Harmony. Cat Schoessler is the Interact vice president at Skyview where she is involved dance, sports, academics and just but everything a high school student can be involved, but was excited to be involved with the Zumbathon, “I was so excited at how the people in the community just started giving and the turn out here is awesome. Everyone is part of the community and when something affects one of our children, it effects all of us, so putting my time into this event is more than worthwhile and it’s just awesome to see the results,” said Schoessler. Zumbathon participants donated $10.00 to Zumba for three hours and raised $1,078.00 at last count. “All the Interact kids worked hard to make this a success. I learned a lot about service above self from my dad who is a Rotarian and I’ve had a lot of opportunities to give back and giving back is what cool kids and geeks do,” added Moira. Anyone wishing to contribute may log on to HarmonyMelodyzumba.com and learn more. According to Pyhala the Kenai River Interact’s next project is going to be collecting used soccer balls and sporting equipment for an international project to be sent to youth in third world countries.

More in News

President Zen Kelly speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, July 7, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
School board finalizes budget with deep cuts to programming, classrooms

Multiple members of the board said they were frustrated by the state’s failure to fund education.

Former KPBSD Finance Director Liz Hayes speaks during a Kenai Peninsula Borough School District budget development meeting at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
School district finance department earns national awards

The two awards are based on comprehensive reviews of the district’s budget and financial reporting.

Children leap forward to grab candy during a Fourth of July parade on South Willow Street in Kenai, Alaska, on July 4, 2025. (Photo courtesy Sarah Every)
Celebrating the 4th in the streets

Kenai comes out for annual Independence Day parade.

Fire crews respond to the Bruce Fire, July 4, 2025, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Alaska Division of Forestry)
Firefighting crews respond to wildfire outside Soldotna

The 8-acre fire and two “spot fires” of less than one acre each are located near Mile 102 and 103 of the Sterling Highway.

Robert Weaver was last seen at the Doroshin Bay public use cabin on June 25, 2025. (Photo provided by the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge)
Updated: Refuge ends search efforts for missing man

Robert Weaver was last seen near Skilak Lake on June 25.

The Alaska Dive Search Rescue and Recovery Team conducts a training mission in Seward, Alaska in 2024. Photo courtesy of the Alaska Dive Search Rescue and Recovery Team
Anchor Point fundraiser to benefit Alaska rescue and recovery group

Alaska Dive Search Rescue and Recovery Team is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization established in 2016.

Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic staff (left to right) Angie Holland, RN; Jane Rohr, Sonja Martin Young, CNM; Robin Holmes, MD; and Cherie Bole, CMA provide an array of reproductive and sexual health services. (Photo provided by KBFPC)
Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic releases report on STI trends on the Kenai Peninsula

The report pulls from data gathered from 2024 to early 2025.

Pool manager and swim coach Will Hubler leads a treading water exercise at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Swimmers, parents call on Kenai to support Kenai Central pool

The KPBSD Board of Education last week said communities will need to step up and take over administration of pools within the next year.

Most Read