OLEAN, N.Y. — When the local Ride for Roswell team hits the pavement this year, for the first time they’ll be found riding along the Allegheny River Trail instead of a usual route in Buffalo.

Maggie Nuss of the local Racin’ for Rick team said the group will gather at 10 a.m. at Gargoyle Park to ride on the river trail. Nuss said the team will ride, even if there is inclement weather.

If it should storm, however, the ride will be moved to 10 a.m. Sunday on the river trail. All who want to support the fundraiser for Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo are invited to join them at the park or on the trail.

“We will do our best to emulate the ride, having a team tent with water and energy snacks, signs, balloons, names of fighters and angels on the trail,” she said.

The local team, named in memory of Rick Franz, husband of former Allegany resident Ellen Wild Franz, was first organized 10 years ago.

“Rick was battling Stage 4 melanoma when he participated in the (Ride for Roswell) in 2009,” Nuss recalled. “After he lost his battle in 2010, his brother-in-law, Dan Wild, rode in Rick’s memory that year. In 2011 our team was formed. We all ride for different reasons, but the one that is universal among all of us is to raise funds to find a cure. We are fortunate to have such an asset as Roswell Park Cancer Institute in our backyard and feel by riding and fundraising we can do our part to help find a cure.”

Ride for Roswell, founded 25 years ago, raises funds to help with the institute’s treatment of cancer patients, as well as for training staff and research. The ride was changed this year to accommodate social distancing needed to slow the spread of the pandemic.

The event, regularly held the last weekend in June in Buffalo, is referred to as the Summer of the Ride this year and has been spread out over three weekends in August. As a result, local teams are staging the event at various locations in the region. Riders are asked to maintain social distancing during the event, and wear masks, as needed.

“As we ride this year, it will be bittersweet as we will be keeping (the late) Ron Wetherby in our hearts,” Nuss continued. “Ron is an angel who fought a good fight, with the help of Roswell. He rode while in remission (at past events), knowing the importance of the cause. What we are really hoping for are supporters, both at Gargoyle and along the trail.”

Nuss said she has participated in the ride the past seven years as her sister had been diagnosed with cancer and had been treated at Roswell. Other family members and friends have also been helped at Roswell, and the late Rick Franz and his wife had been friends of hers.

“There are so many people we know, unfortunately, who go” to Roswell, she added. “And I know this year (fundraising) is that much more difficult just because of the circumstances. That is why we wanted to bring it local and bring it to people’s attention.”

Nuss said those who would like to donate to the Racin’ for Rick team may do so during the day of the event, or preferably online at the Ride for Roswell website for 2020. She said no amount is too small for the local team which is among the top fundraisers for the effort each year.

“We’re usually in the top 25 or 30 teams,” Nuss said with pride.

“Our team has raised over $168,000 in nine years and is on track to add $17,000 this year,” she continued. “We know our efforts are making an impact and that some day our children and grandchildren will benefit from our efforts.”

When contacted, Wild said this will be his 11th year to ride in the event.

“I rode in honor of Rick (Franz) a couple of months after he had died,” Wild said of his late relative.

Wild said it was unfortunate that the team couldn’t ride with the large group in Buffalo this year, but it was also “kind of neat that we can do this in our own area.

“A lot of times when a virus (or other issue) hits and you’re forced to do things, you find out some things are actually better,” he observed, noting the ride in Buffalo has become very large with almost 8,000 riders in recent years. “I could actually see the Ride for Roswell forming in different places” in the future.