DEWITT — After a year of fully remote fundraising, Paige’s Butterfly Run is emerging from its virtual cocoon with a hybrid fundraiser later this month. Pedaling 4 Paige, the annual spinning event that raises money for pediatric cancer research and programs at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital, returns for its sixth year starting March 20.
Participants can ride from the comfort of their homes or in the great outdoors between March 20 and 27 or sign up for a one-hour, in-person spin class March 20 at Elevate Fitness in DeWitt.
“We wanted to be able to safely provide an opportunity for our people to still gather for an event,” said Myia Hill, executive director of Paige’s Butterfly Run. “It’ll certainly look different than in other years. Everyone will have to wear a mask, including during your ride, so that’ll be a new challenge for our riders.”
Elevate Fitness is following all New York State COVID safety guidelines and will sanitize the bikes between sessions. Each session is limited to 11 participants.
“We’re excited to be partnering with them again,” Hill said.
Paige’s Butterfly Run was born in 1997, three years after Paige Yeomans Arnold passed away from leukemia complications at age 8 in 1994. Paige was a student at Palmer Elementary in Baldwinsville. A group of Paige’s teachers approached her parents, Chris Arnold and Ellen Yeomans, with the idea of holding a walk/run to honor Paige and raise money for a scholarship fund and what is now the Dr. William J. Waters Center for Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital.
The first walk/run in 1997 drew 225 people. Twenty years later, the fundraising juggernaut was drawing 2,500 participants annually. To date, Paige’s Butterfly Run has raised $3.7 million for pediatric oncology research and patient programs.
Despite the difficulties of the pandemic, Paige’s Butterfly Run raised $231,000 last year.
“That still wowed us,” Hill said. “We were very grateful to the community at large for allowing that to happen.”
The pandemic has posed additional challenges to families dealing with pediatric cancer, with the risk of contracting COVID, restrictions on hospital visits and greater financial stress.
“In addition to the unfortunate news that their child has received a cancer diagnosis, they might be dealing with the loss of a job,” Hill said. “It’s certainly challenging.”
Virtual Pedaling 4 Paige participants can complete their rides between March 20 and 27. Limited in-person slots are available 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 20 at Elevate Fitness in DeWitt. Visit runsignup.com/p4pvirtual to register. The registration fee is $25 and a minimum fundraising donation of $50 is required.
Post your pictures or videos on social media, tag Paige’s Butterfly Run and use the hashtag #Pedaling4Paige2021.
