Western & Southern Financial Group: Ride Cincinnati Achieves Record Fundraising Goal With 2018 Event

CINCINNATI, Ohio, Oct. 2 -- The Western and Southern Financial Group, a life insurance company, issued the following news release:

Cyclists and non-cyclists across Cincinnati have made a major statement in the community's ongoing mission to bring world-class cancer care to the city. The twelfth annual Ride Cincinnati set ambitious goals for 2018 - with the intention of raising $500,000 - nearly double what has been raised in past years. While the cycling event occurred June 10, participants have been hard at work fundraising since January. By September, the fundraising goal had been achieved.

Each of these rider-raised dollars benefit life-saving cancer research at the UC Health Barrett Cancer Center and play a critical role in the community-wide effort to bring a National Cancer Institute designation to Cincinnati.

"Over the past year, Ride Cincinnati has taken a giant transitional step toward becoming a premier grassroots fundraising event, uniting colleagues, friends and family in support of a transformational goal," said John F. Barrett, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Western & Southern Financial Group. "Together, we are making significant contributions to life-saving advancements in cancer care and we are just getting started."

While Western & Southern associates alone raised more than $100,000 and made up the largest corporate team for the fifth consecutive year, the event drew broad support from across the Greater Cincinnati area.

"Ride Cincinnati has become a true rallying cry from the community in support of our mission to bring an NCI-designated cancer center to the city," said Dr. William Barrett, director of the Barrett Cancer Center. "Thanks to the commitment from Ride participants, sponsors and supporters, we are on our way to making Cincinnati one of the smartest cities for cancer education, research and care."

Over the past 12 years, Ride Cincinnati has raised $3.3 million for cancer research and funded 37 research grants impacting individuals living in Cincinnati. The 2019 event will bring fresh enhancements and even bigger fundraising goals. More details regarding these changes will be announced in early 2019.