After a long, cold, snowy winter, over 90 people gathered at Rye Grill and Bar on April 9th to “Thaw Out,” catch up with friends, and support the Rye-based Sole Ryeders organization.

After a long, cold, snowy winter, over 90 people gathered at Rye Grill and Bar on April 9th to “Thaw Out,” catch up with friends, and support the Rye-based Sole Ryeders organization. The mood was festive as the organization celebrated eight years of growth and expanding support services for women affected by cancer.

Founder Sandy Samberg addressed the crowd by first thanking everyone for their continued support. Samberg also announced their “big news” — the unveiling of the organization’s new name, Soul Ryeders. The name change, while subtle, is the result of a gradual shift in focus with the organization during recent years, says Samberg.   

She told the crowd that Sole Ryeders started as a group of women who came together to walk on the “soles” of their feet and raise money at the 39-mile Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in 2007. In recent years, the organization’s focus has shifted to “doing tangible things to help heal the souls of community members who are affected by cancer.” With numerous new programs, including the Wig Exchange, Mondays with Sole Ryeders, and Cover the Court with Coins, to name a few, the organization has evolved into a group of volunteers helping to soothe the souls of those affected by cancer.

As an extension of their new name, Samberg announced that Soul Ryeders is launching a new initiative in May, the Soul Ryeders Giving Circle. Their goal is to build a community of philanthropic, committed individuals and couples to become founding members with a minimum contribution of $1,000 to support a growing pipeline of Soul Ryeders programs.
To learn more, visit www.soulryeders.org.

— Gretchen Snyder