BUFFALO, N.Y. — One of Western New York’s biggest fundraisers rolled back into town Saturday as bikers from all over took part in the 27th annual Ride For Roswell.

“The community has really come out in droves," said Andrea Gregory, Roswell Park director of special events. "We have over 7,700 riders this year riding with us and we couldn’t be more excited to have this beautiful day.”

The weather was perfect for riders as they traversed along different routes, all for the same cause: to help find a cure for cancer once and for all. Every dollar raised each year from the ride bring Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center one step closer to doing just that. As of Saturday, the ride had already raised over $5.6 million, and Gregory said the donations are expected to keep coming in over the next couple of months.

“We are funding critical cancer research at Roswell Park," she said. "We are helping current patients, so not only are we helping patients of today, we’re helping patients of tomorrow that will be diagnosed.”

For those who were unable to participate in the Ride For Roswell on Saturday at University at Buffalo's North Campus, the Ride Your Own Way option — a product of the COVID-19 pandemic that has persisted to offer flexibility in participation — is the way to go.

"Five-hundred [participants] are riding their own way,” Gregory said. “So, maybe they couldn’t be here in-person with us this weekend or maybe they live somewhere else and couldn’t be here because they live out of town, and so the Ride Your Own Way is really something that has taken off during the pandemic and so people are going to continue to ride for us all summer long.”

To make a contribution to cancer research at Roswell Park, visit Ride For Roswell's website.