SANTA ROSA, Calif. (BRAIN) — Organizers of Levi's GranFondo, which will be held this Saturday in Sonoma County, California, expect the event will raise more than $1 million for charity.
Recipients include bicycle-related charities in Northern California and other non-profits in area, including the ride's main beneficiary, Forget Me Not Farm.
The event expects to it will have nearly 7,500 participants.
"In my career as a professional athlete and racer I relied on a huge number of people to help me achieve my goals," said the event's founder, Levi Leipheimer. "And the reason that this ride has always existed has been to give back to our community. The fact that we'll have given over $1-million to a range of charities blows my mind. With the continued support of everyone that comes to the event, we'll keep making a difference."
Since the ride began in 2009, the event, officially known as the King Ridge GranFondo, has been one of the leading benefactors of high school mountain biking in Northern California, donating some $30,000 to the NorCal HS Cycling League. The King Ridge GranFondo has provided nearly a $500,000 to Forget Me Not Farm, a working farm for at-risk children and abandoned animals. It also has donated just over $37,000 to help with pothole repair on the roads most used by cyclists in Sonoma County.
