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Syracuse Organizations Promote Breast Cancer Awareness Local Organizations Promote Breast Cancer Awareness

The "Breast Cancer Awareness Ride 2021" takes place virtually Saturday.

By Joey Semel

JOEY SEMEL: 2021 is the 13th consecutive year that Syracuse Bicycle is sponsoring the “Breast Cancer Awareness Ride. “As Syracuse University Student Miranda Barrick tells us, the reasons why are not hard to see.

MIRANDA BARRICK: Cancer is just horrible… I have some words I probably shouldn’t say on camera. If you’re aware of it, and get screened for it and catch it earlier it can help avoid it.

SEMEL: The company says their goal is to raise 25-thousand-dollars for breast cancer research during the event. Store manager Zak Field says because the event is virtual, community outreach has been difficult, but they have a simple workaround: social media.

ZAK FIELD: We’ve been able to reach out to our community, our customers, that way.

SEMEL: The virtual nature of the event means that regardless of where you are on Saturday… gears will be turning. Field says it’s the cause and that money goal that are most important.

FIELD: If you really want to hammer out 100 miles and put it out all over social media that day that’s possible. If you want to just go and do a loop around your town that’s entirely possible too. But the end goal is the same, it’s about creating awareness and hopefully raising some money too.

SEMEL: The event supports The Baldwin Fund, which has donated over 24-million dollars to breast cancer research. Joey Semel, in Syracuse, NCC News.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC NEWS) — Syracuse Bicycle and The Baldwin fund are teaming up for the thirteenth annual “Breast Cancer Awareness Ride.”

The event is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 9, but the Covid-19 pandemic has put a slight wrench in things. The event will remain virtual this year.

Syracuse Bicycle Manager Zak Field said that the decision to go virtual wasn’t an easy one, but they felt it was in everyone’s best interest.

“After weighing all of the pros and the cons it just seems better to do a virtual event,” Field said.

The event’s virtual nature has forced a change in how the group promotes it. Field said it has presented challenges, but the group has been creative and used social media as a way to work around their challenges.

“We have what I think to be a pretty decent social media following through Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook,” Field said. “We’ve been able to reach out to our community, our customers, that way.”

There are a few advantages of having the event being virtual. Anyone can participate from anywhere. It also means that the biking can be as easy or as difficult as the participant wants it to be.

“If you really want to hammer out 100 miles and put it out all over social media that day, that’s possible. If you want to just go and do a loop around your town that’s entirely possible too. But the end goal is the same, it’s about creating awareness and hopefully raising some money too,” Field said.

The Baldwin Fund has set a goal of $25,000 for the event. Field said despite the fundraising challenges, that number is in their sites.

“There have been a number of donations and we are trending toward that goal,” Field said.

The importance of the event is clear, especially during October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Syracuse University student Miranda Barrick summed up why awareness is so crucial.

“Cancer is just horrible,” Barrick said. “I have some words I probably shouldn’t say on camera. If you’re aware of it, and get screened for it and catch it earlier it can help avoid it.”

The event’s proceeds go to The Baldwin Fund, which not only helps with research, but also assists women and families in the Central New York area.

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