For Immediate Release:
June 3, 2005

The 10th Ride For Roswell To Celebrate a Decade of Biking for Cures on Saturday, June 25

Former Buffalo Sabre Pat LaFontaine to Ride in Memory of Young Cancer Patient

(BUFFALO, NY) – The 10th annual Ride For Roswell, presented by Wegmans, will take place Saturday, June 25 at the University at Buffalo’s Baird Point. This bicycling fundraiser is organized by the Roswell Park Alliance to benefit patient care and research programs at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

Participants are asked to raise a minimum of $75 in pledges to ride in one of four routes offered: 9 mile (Creekside Ride), 20 mile (River Ride), 33 mile (Clarence Ride) or 62.5 mile (Alabama Ride). Frequent rest stops, snacks and beverages are located along each route. A picnic lunch provided by Mississippi Mudds and a 10th anniversary recognition ceremony will highlight post-Ride festivities.

Last year, 2,500 bicyclists and volunteers did their part to raise over $500,000-the most money raised since the event’s inception in 1996 and a 50 percent increase over the previous year. In its first nine years, the Ride has raised over $2.5 million. This year’s fundraising goal is $750,000. More than 150 teams are already registered for the event.

“Our 10th anniversary will be a landmark celebration,” said Mitch Flynn, founder and co-chair of the event. “More than 20,000 people have ridden to help Roswell save lives and find cures since 1996. The response from our riders and incredible volunteers has been the backbone of this event's growth; we’re excited to honor their efforts while riding toward our largest goal ever."

Flynn added that hockey great Pat LaFontaine will serve as honorary captain of one of the Ride’s teams, riding the 62.5-mile route in memory of Robert Schwegler,
Roswell Park bone marrow transplant patient who died of leukemia in 1994 at the age of 12. LaFontaine befriended the young patient while captain of the Buffalo Sabres, and will ride as a member of the Schwegler family team.

Individuals, teams and volunteers can pick up a registration brochure at any local Wegmans, visit the Ride’s website at www.RideForRoswell.org, or call 716-845-8788. Walk-up registration is also available that morning.

The Ride for Roswell is presented by Wegmans with additional support from media sponsors 97-Rock, WB49 News at 10, WHTT-FM and Flynn & Friends.

Roswell Park Cancer Institute, founded in 1898, is the nation's first cancer research, treatment and education center and is the only National Cancer Institute -designated comprehensive cancer center in Upstate New York. RPCI is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation's leading cancer centers.

The Roswell Park Alliance Foundation was founded in 1991 as a not-for-profit organization to receive and administer funds supporting the Institute's scientific and clinical research, state-of-the-art medical care, and patient-related activities. For more information, visit RPCI's website at www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or e-mail askrpci@roswellpark.org.

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