Photos by James Short Access Network
By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
VENTNOR – The city Sunday, June 2 welcomed nearly 2,000 bicyclists who rode all the way from Philadelphia to help end cancer as we know it.
The American Cancer Society held its 51
st annual Bridge to the Beach Bike-a-Thon with 90 of the riders starting their journey in the 101.5-mile Century Route at the foot of the Ben Franklin Bridge in Philadelphia. Other riders joined them along the way at starting points at Cherry Hill High School East (54 and 88 miles), Hammonton Lake Park (30.7 miles) and Egg Harbor City Community School (19.6 miles). All the riders had one thing in mind – ending cancer as we know it.
Although they fell short of the organization’s $1.3 million fundraising goal, they raised $939,532, with more donations yet to be counted.
Some of the riders were making the trek for the first time, others were cancer survivors, and even more were riding to honor a family member or loved on who has survived or died from the disease.
Angelo Franco has participated in the city-to-shore event every year since 2014 to honor his wife Isabel. Unfortunately, she died after her battle with sarcoma in 2018.
“I really experienced first-hand what the American Cancer Society does for people,” he said after the ride. “And with that, it’s become my passion to do this ride every year in Isabel’s honor.”
Riders said they loved the welcome they received at Ski Beach in Ventnor. The city worked with event organizers to plan a festival-like atmosphere in the bayfront park at the end of the ride.
“It was fantastic,” Ventnor Commissioner Lance Landgraf said. “They reached out to us last year and our Police and Special Events departments worked with them to iron out all the details.”
Landgraf said two of his close friends make the ride every year.
“They said coming into Ventnor was great and they felt very welcomed,” he said.
The end of route party at Ski Beach included vendors, food trucks, including TacoCat and Nucky’s food trucks, and a band, Landgraf said.
“We hope it is the first of many we will host,” he said.
Funds raised from the annual event are used for groundbreaking research, patient care programs and public education campaigns about early symptoms and prevention.
Next year’s ride will be held on June 1 and registration will open soon.
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