THE CYCLE BEGINS
HALIFAX - The anticipation for the Tony Griffin Foundation's 2008 fundraising initiative "Cycle for Life. Celebrate Life." will come to a head on October 14 when 54 cyclists from all over Canada will depart from Halifax Citadel National Historic Site (Citadel Hill) to begin their 4,300 kilometre bike ride to Austin, Texas for the Lance Armstrong Foundation's LIVESTRONG Challenge.
Each rider has raised a minimum of $5,000 and the final total will be donated to the Lance Armstrong Foundation in the United States, and Ovarian Cancer Canada and Craig's Cause for Pancreatic Cancer in Canada.
The team will arrive in Austin on October 24 and participate in the LIVESTRONG Challenge on October 26. The top three fundraisers from the "Cycle for Life. Celebrate Life." team will participate in a private bike ride with Armstrong, who announced his return to cycling on September 24 after a three-year forced hiatus from the sport.
Armstrong is determined to win his eighth Tour de France, but says on his website (www.livestrong.org) that his priority is to bring awareness to the fight against cancer. "Of course I want to win the eighth Tour de France, but the most important issue is taking the global epidemic of cancer to a much bigger stage. That is the first priority here."
This year's cycle follows in the footsteps of the Tony Griffin Foundation's hugely successful event in 2007, the "7,000 kilometre Ride for the Cure."
Tony Griffin, famed Irish athlete and Dalhousie University graduate, cycled across Canada and Ireland raising more than $600,000 for cancer research. Over 300 volunteers worked together on that project, and many of the same people have put countless hours in to making this year's event another smashing success.
To make a donation, or to find out more visit: www.tonygriffinfoundation.com or call the Tony Griffin Foundation at (902) 422-6331.
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