The Lions group raised up to $20,000 from a cocktail charity auction, pledges and a raffle at the Edgewater Resort on Thursday.
Roe (51) was the guest speaker.
At least 200 people turned up to hear Roe speak about experiences as a mother, marathon runner and health promoter.
That inspired about 10 people to shake off the after-effects of the cocktails and join her for an early-morning run-walk along the Millennium Track from Edgewater Resort yesterday.
The participants had an impromptu lesson on running technique and training and were privy to some of Roe's secrets for preparing for and staying mentally focused during a race.
Roe said she would never have run a marathon if she had considered it was 42km.
Instead, she tricked herself into thinking she was just doing a warm-up for most of distance, and then pretended she was running a time trial.
"I love 10-mile time trials," she said, laughing.
The winner of the 1981 Boston and New York marathons still runs four times a week and goes to the gym on the days in between.
Cross-training had always been an important part of her programme, as had technique, which was drummed into her at the age of 15 by her coach, she said.
Auction organiser Jude Smith said yesterday the amount raised at the auction had not yet been confirmed but all 18 items sold under the hammer for about $10,000, with the biggest item United Travel's "romantic trip for two" to Rotorua, selling for $2000.
John Hogg, of Wanaka, who works for Infinity Investment Group, had also pledged to raise up to $4000 during a bike ride from Picton to Wanaka this month and several thousand more could be raised by the raffle, Mrs Smith said.
"It was phenomenal. The atmosphere was awesome," Mrs Smith said.
The fetal heart monitor will be looked after by Wanaka St John Ambulance.
