The Grove City Class of 1980 has always been a tight-knit group, so when the news broke about Mark and Mary Beth Fisher's son, Mason, having a medical emergency and passing away during a Pelotonia ride in 2022, Fisher’s friends stepped up to show support. The group decided to ride in his honor with Mason's Pelotonia team, the Spin Doctors, made up of his fellow classmates at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.
“All the guys jumped in and said they would ride too, and they’ve collected a ton of money for Pelotonia,” says Fisher. “It’s such a great fundraiser for cancer research. We’ve really been blessed to have friends like that in Grove City.”
Along for the ride
This year will mark the group’s fourth year riding with the Spin Doctors.
Jeff Aurentz, Mark Fisher, Jim Rasor
Cycling has become a later-in-life hobby for the group. Everyone in the group is at a different level, with some taking on the 50-mile ride, and others the 25-mile ride.
Throughout the year, the team has found different training schedules that work for them. Some continue training after the event, riding on their indoor bikes, while others wait for the weather to turn nice before returning to their bikes.
They often like to joke that everyone is trying to outdo one another, as they share their progress in the group chat.
Come August, the group comes together for ride weekend, sometimes bringing friends and family along to ride.
“It really means a lot to me and my family. I’m sure Mason is looking down and watching us and riding with us,” says Fisher.
Click here to read more about Mason and his passion.
Getting involved
Jeff Aurentz, Mark Fisher, Jim Rasor
Jim Rasor facilitated the group joining the Spin Doctors and has been riding with them ever since. With experience riding long distances, Rasor thought joining Pelotonia would be a great way to show support to the Fishers.
“I’ve been friends with Mark for 50 years. We grew up together. It was just really hard to take, and I wanted to do something to support Mark and Mary Beth,” says Rasor. “What I did was I just asked a few of our friends from high school if they wanted to ride.”
None of them had ever participated in Pelotonia before. Originally, they planned to sign up as general riders, but when Mary Beth mentioned they could ride with the Spin Doctors, it made it even more meaningful.
Jeff Aurentz, Mark Fisher, Jim Rasor
Rasor says he remains involved after all these years because he believes in the cause and wants to continue supporting Fisher and his family. Last year, he even got his sons to ride alongside the group.
Since Rasor is an airline pilot, he rides and trains whenever his schedule allows, staying connected and sharing his process with the others.
Before the ride weekend, the group meets up the night before and then again at the race for the opening ceremony.
“It’s not really a race,” says Rasor. “It’s just (about) riding the distance to see Mark and Mary Beth and give them our support and love.”
Fundraising
Jeff Aurentz rides with the Spin Doctors every year also. He knew he wanted to be involved as soon as he received the text that the group was going to ride for Mason.
Originally, he joined to honor Mason’s memory, but over the past couple of years, he’s found even more reasons to ride.
“It is to honor Mason. But also, I played baseball at Ohio State and my catcher that was there, he passed away a year and a half ago from cancer,” says Aurentz. “Then another guy, who was a pitcher with me at Ohio State, he’s fighting throat cancer right now and he’s had a very hard battle.”
Jeff Aurentz, Mark Fisher, Jim Rasor
At first, Aurentz didn’t realize all the impact Pelotonia had, but after finding out, he became passionate about helping the team reach their fundraising goals.
Over the years, he has come up with many creative ways to raise money.
Last year, he posted on Facebook asking people in the community, who recently had garage sales, to donate their leftover items to him. He then held his own garage sale to fundraise for Pelotonia, where he made close to $1,000. With the money, he was able to help a couple of people with their fundraising goals.
Aurentz also had custom cornhole boards made with Jack Sawyer’s “scoop and score” against Texas that he raffled off to raise more money.
“I just try to make sure everybody gets to their goal. That’s been kind of my thing that I’ve taken on,” says Aurentz.
When the weather is nice, Aurentz rides to work at the Grove City Post Office. He also goes on other rides a couple of times a week, sharing everything with the group.
For him, the moment that matters the most is crossing the finish line.
“When you cross the finish line, it’s emotional because you’re realizing that you’ve accomplished something that is for a good cause, it’s a personal accomplishment finishing and you just realizing the impact that it could have on people,” says Aurentz.
Korrigan Craddock is a contributing writer at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
