Charity ride helps Indians raise $3M for cancer

CLEVELAND -- The Indians began biking for a cure last year. Two summers and a pair of charity rides later, the team has helped raise a wealth of funds for cancer research.

During a celebration event for Cleveland's now-annual VeloSano bicycling event on Thursday night, the organization revealed it had raised just north of $2.9 million. Indians team owner and chairman Paul Dolan, who is the co-chairman of VeloSano and rode in the charity race in July, made the announcement at the banquet.

A donor then stepped forward to make this year's total an even $3 million.

The Indians had nearly 60 riders in this summer's race and raised $135,000 for the event, representing the third-highest total among the participating teams. All donations go to Cleveland Clinic to aid in cancer research and treatment.

"It's a natural extension of our relationship with the Cleveland Clinic," Dolan said prior to last year's bike event. "For us, it's an effort to use the Cleveland Indians brand to support one of our key partners, the Cleveland Clinic, an iconic Cleveland institution. To work together, along with other Cleveland companies, to raise money to cure cancer -- no better cause than that."