The “Power of a Journey”
The “Power of a Journey”
How Far Can You Go for a Good Cause?
Above Photo / rideforroswell.org & Cover Photo / empirestateride
Hello Summer! The sun is out (sometimes), the weather is gorgeous (when it’s not trying to incinerate us) and it’s the perfect time to get outside and put on your hiking (or biking) shoes. Let your feet take you into the wild and on a nature adventure. And what if you could do that and support a cause at the same time?
There are many great rides and walks aimed at raising funding and awareness for a myriad of worthy causes happening all around our local and neighboring communities this summer. Too many to list actually… so let’s highlight just a few of them. We welcome you to join in!
One of the Nation’s largest charity cycling events, the Ride for Roswell brings communities together to not only celebrate cancer survivors but to pay tribute to the ones we’ve lost and share in the passion of working towards finding a cure for cancer. There are two ways to ride: You can ride your own way and bring in donations throughout the season, or you can head to Roswell Park in Buffalo, NY on Saturday, June 24th (6:00am - 2:00pm). Organizers have nine bicycle routes to choose from, ranging in 5 miles all the way up to 100 miles. If you can’t come out to ride, you can always donate to the cause. For more information on how to join the event or make a direct donation, follow Ride for Roswell on social media or visit rideforroswell.org.
Continuing in the fight against cancer, The Empire State Ride is headed our way July 22nd-29th. Road warriors will be traveling over 500+ miles from New York City to Old Falls Street in Niagara Falls, NY. Registered cyclists are welcome to ride at their own pace but should be prepared to travel at approx. 15 mph to reach coordinated rest stops and camp each day. (Keep in mind, you don’t have to go the whole trip; you can opt to ride from Spencerport, NY to Niagara Falls, NY on Day 7 if you wish.) The full course is a challenging trip but one that is well worth it. When they commit to become a rider, Empire State Ride warriors are making an impact on the future of cancer research and helping to save lives. All funds raised during the event will go to Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center to support cutting-edge cancer research. For more information or to see how you can participate, email empirestateride@roswellpark.org or call 716-845-3179.
Again in the Buffalo area, specifically Canalside, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night marches in on October 6th. Their motto is to “Bring Light to the Darkness of Cancer” and the event brings community members together to honor and remember those who’ve been effected by blood cancers as they walk the canal with paper lanterns in the early evening. All funds raised will go towards lifesaving research, advocacy and support for blood cancer patients and their families. You can participate yourself by signing up at lightthenight.org for one of the many events they host statewide - including the one in Buffalo - with a team or just as a solo walker, or you can donate to one of the participating teams. Whatever option you choose, when you choose to come together as part of the community, you bring more people out of the dark.
There is a pretty epic bike ride close to our home here in Ellicottville, NY… or at least that’s the end destination, when riders for the EA2EVL Fondo hit the road on Saturday, September 30th. The ride will begin at 42 North Brewing in East Aurora and conclude at the finish line party at Holiday Valley Resort, Ellicottville. You can even have your family and friends meet you for the after-party. This 42-mile ride is a non-competitive charity ride for cyclists of all skill levels, benefiting the building and maintenance of the Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail (ECRT, the 27-mile trail that runs from Orchard Park, NY to Ashford, NY.) You can donate or sign-up for the ride at ea2evlfondo.com.
We’d be remiss if we didn’t include the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention’s Out of the Darkness Walk. These walks are a journey of remembrance, hope and support. It unites our communities and provides the people who live in them an opportunity to be with those who have also been affected by suicide and mental health conditions. There are walks held nationwide throughout the year. The Cattaraugus County Community Walk is being held in Lincoln Park in Olean, NY on September 15th; the walk begins at 6:30pm. There isn’t an actual fee to participate but donations are gratefully accepted. You can register at supporting.afsp.org.
The Allegheny National Forest (ANF) Region of Pennsylvania will be the setting for some really awesome events. Starting with the Hike 100 Miles to Commemorate 100 Years, moving on to the Kinzua 5K, and then the Kinzua Half Marathon. See the ANF article in this issue for full details and how to register for each one.
With all of these amazing things going on, we don’t want you to forget that safety should always come first. Allegany State Park will help keep you frosty with their Bike Rodeo Safety Series, back by popular demand on July 6th on the Red House side of the park and on August 1st on the Quaker side of the park. In this program, you will navigate a bicycle rodeo course and learn how to manage real-life situations safely with the help of their expert guides. This is a perfect way to improve your bicycle safety skills and learn what to do in case of an emergency.
That’s a lot of information for everyone to take in. We just hope you’re able to attend one (or many) of these great events or maybe even an event we didn’t get to mention. No matter where you choose to go, whether you’re hiking or biking this summer, you can always do it for a good cause!
