TALLAHASSEE, Fl. (WTXL) -- The 11th Annual "Ride for Hope" features several different types of bike rides, all starting and ending at the North Florida Fairgrounds.
It started off with two brothers, Jason and Jeffrey Farrah, whose father, Lou Farrah, was battling colon cancer. Motivated by the Lance Armstrong Foundation, these two brothers and their family wanted to create something similar in Tallahassee. That something was to raise awareness and funds for cancer research.
"We all started in my living room with about eight people, thinking that we wanted to do something," said Jenny Farrah, Lou's wife. Lou Farrah, would lose his battle to Stage 4 colon cancer in November 2006, after the first ever "Ride for Hope".
What started off as a small community effort, "The Ride for Hope" would become something much bigger.
In 2006, the first year of the event, the Farrah family, along with the Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare (TMH) foundation, were able to raise $30,000 to benefit the TMH Cancer Center.
"We raised over $600,000 in the past 11 years", said Aaron Kinnon, "It's just been a phenomenal event, from nothing to this huge thing we do every year."
As the years move on, more bike riders come in, and the numbers are approaching 1,000 every year. "All the proceeds stay local, so it's a great way for everyone to be involved," said event Director Brittany Jackson.
Whether it be for 10 or even 40 miles, Jenny says the bike rides are the perfect way to fight cancer and keep hope strong and alive.
"Lou wanted everybody to do something. There is something you can do", said Jenny. "You can give a dollar. You can come out and volunteer. You can drive somebody to their cancer treatment. You can give a word of encouragement. You can do something."
To learn more about "The Ride for Hope", click here.
