TORONTO, ONTARIO — (Marketwire) — 06/14/12 — More than 200 cyclists, including as many as 30 blind and partially sighted cyclists, will gather at York University on Saturday June 23, to begin a 140km bicycle trek called . The event, voted the Best Cycling Event in Eastern Canada last year by Get Out There magazine, is a one-day fundraiser supporting the (FFB) — Canada-s leading charity funding research to end blindness.
Media are invited to attend and interview participants, who include:
World Champion Paralympic Rower , who is blind and will represent Canada at the 2012 Paralympics in London this summer, will be at the start line — providing opening remarks to inspire cyclists along their lengthy ride.
Sponsored by , Cycle for Sight has raised over $1 million since it launched in 2009 to fund innovative eye research. FFB-s mission is to find the causes, treatments, and, ultimately, cures for retinal degenerative eye diseases like retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration, which affect more than 1 million Canadians.
BMO employee Michael Ovens is a co-founder and top fund raiser for the event. “Going blind is a scary prognosis and really difficult to talk about, even with friends and family,” said Michael Ovens. “Being part of this ride gives me the courage to share the daily struggles I face because of my vision loss. It-s great to have my colleagues along with my friends and family supporting the cause — either through their pledges or by riding with me on Team BMO.”
BMO has been a corporate sponsor of the event since it launched in 2009. A Cycle for Sight event has also been held in Ottawa since 2010. The 2012 Ottawa fund raising ride was held on June 3 and raised $47,000, a 25 per cent increase from 2011. The Toronto ride aims to raise $300,000, a 50 per cent increase from last year.
See and to get a sense of the photo and video opportunities available at the upcoming event.
Contacts:
Media Contacts:
BMO Financial Group
Carol Greene, Toronto
(416) 867-3996
BMO Financial Group
Web:
Twitter: @BMOmedia
The Foundation Fighting Blindness
Karen Sung
(416) 360-4200 ext 225
Web: