The appeal is raising money to help the thousands of Japanese recover from the devastation of the March 11 earthquake and tragic tsunami that followed.

The NSW South Coast has a small network of Japanese people who are married to Australians and they all have family or friends who live in the parts of Japan that have suffered so much devastation. They wanted to do their bit to help Japan recover as quickly as possible.

Fitness lovers from Batemans Bay, Moruya, Narooma, Bermagui and Canberra got together at the stunning facility of the Conference Room in the Soldiers Club - kindly donated by the board members of the Club.

Three Zumba Instructors - Tracy Spence (Batemans Bay), Gemma Bartlett (Canberra) and Kumiko Takakura (Bermagui) - led the "Zumbathon and The Masala Bhangra Workout Charity Event".

After Kumiko's welcoming speech and one minute silence for the people who have lost their lives in the earthquake and tsunami, the one and half hour journey started. There were so many smiles, sweat, laughs & shouts.

"It was great to see so much energy from everybody,” Kumiko said.

“I really appreciate everybody who either came to the event or those non-participants who also donated. And I want to say a special thanks to Andrea Thompson - functions and events manager of the Batemans Bay Soldiers Club. She looked after us so much and the event went very smooth with her help".

With all costs donated (instructors, facility and advertising), the event has been able to raise over $1,000 for the Australian Red Cross appeal.