WOOSTER — The 10th annual Break the Cycle event kicked off at 8 a.m. Saturday at the Wayne County Fairgrounds.
The event included three different bicycle rides and a 5K walk through downtown Wooster with stops at the OneEighty residential treatment houses and the Oasis Recovery Club. Break the Cycle began in 2011 by the volunteer community group The Risers as a way to reduce the stigma surrounding the issues of substance abuse and addition and to support the treatment and prevention services offered at OneEighty.
Christy VanSickle, the chair for the Break the Cycle committee, was impressed with the number of riders and walkers that turned out for the event. Prior to the event, 160 people pre-registered to attend, she said.
Last year was a record-breaking attendance year for the event, VanSickle said, adding this year may have topped it.
Though 7 a.m. showers delayed the start for some cyclists, Mother Nature held off during the majority of the event for a dry, cooler day to enjoy the outdoors.
Participants could opt to ride or walk virtually this year by choosing their own course. Virtual participants were encouraged to take photos of their ride or walk and share them with OneEighty. Seventeen participants registered to attend virtually, VanSickle said.
In the last nine years, Break the Cycle events have raised more than $144,000 for these services in Wayne and Holmes counties.
— Reach Samantha at 330-287-1626 or Samantha.Ickes@the-daily-record.com. On Twitter: @SamanthaKIckes.
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