24 Hours of Booty Kicks off Fun Partnership with Carolina Panthers and Sir Purr

24 Hours of Booty, Inc., which runs the Official 24-Hour Cycling Event of LIVESTRONG and the only national 24-hour road cycling charity event in the country, and the Carolina Panthers are teaming up to fight cancer.

Through the partnership, Panthers mascot Sir Purr is fielding the Carolina Panthers Keep Pounding Team for the 10th Annual 24 Hours of Booty presented by Levine Cancer Institute on July 29-30 and is asking for the public’s support as he builds momentum for his cool-cat cycling team.

Leading up to the 24-hour charity cycling event, Sir Purr will host “Ride with Sir Purr” at five area locations to raise money for and awareness of the fight against cancer. Sir Purr and his Keep Pounding Fund Team will be riding a stationary bike for an hour during which time passers-by can make a donation to ride on a stationary bike alongside him for five minutes and receive a photo and giveaways. Separate donations can be made for a chance to join Sir Purr on the Carolina Panthers Keep Pounding team.

Upcoming “Ride with Sir Purr” events:

• Thursday, July 14 – 5:30-9 a.m., 11:30-1:30 p.m. – Center City Green Market at Trade & Tryon
• Sunday, July 17 – 3-5 p.m. – Harris Teeter Morrocroft Village (6701 Morrison Blvd.)
• Thursday, July 21 – 6-8 p.m. – “Bottoms Up for Booty” at The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery (215 Southside Drive)
• Friday, July 22 – 6-8 p.m. – Selwyn Pub (2801 Selwyn Avenue)
• Saturday, July 23 – 3-5 p.m. – Belk SouthPark – 2nd Floor entrance inside (4400 Sharon Road)

For more information about the ‘Ride with Sir Purr’ events, visit (www.facebook.com/SirPurr00) or call 24 Hours of Booty at 704-365-4417.

“Our organization is very passionate about the fight against cancer and very appreciative of the all that 24 Hours of Booty and the participants have done to support the Keep Founding Fund,” said Riley Fields, director of community relations for the Carolina Panthers. “Each year, the event brings more opportunities to get involved so we are excited about Sir Purr’s participation and having a team for the tenth anniversary of the ride. 24 Hours of Booty is an outstanding organization that the Carolina Panthers is proud to stand behind as we team up together to find a cure for this disease.

“Sir Purr’s involvement at the start of our event has become a fun annual tradition and is an event highlight for our survivors, other riders and bystanders,” said Basil Lyberg, executive director of 24 Hours of Booty. “We appreciate the amazing support of the Carolina Panthers and Sir Purr who have gone above and beyond by forming a team and bringing our cause out into the community. As the only feline who rides in 24 Hours of Booty, we are proud to have such a cool cat among our riders and supporters.”

About the Keep Pounding Fund
The Keep Pounding Fund was established in 2004 as a partnership between the Carolina Panthers and Carolinas Healthcare Foundation. The fund provides on-going support for cancer research efforts at Carolinas Medical Center. Since its inception, the Keep Pounding Fund has generated over $1.2 million for cancer research.

About 24 Hours of Booty
24 Hours of Booty, Inc. – which runs the Official 24-Hour Cycling Event of LIVESTRONG and the only national 24-hour road cycling charity event in the country – is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit charity located in Charlotte that provides extraordinary cycling events that are safe, fun, and open to all levels of cycling ability. Its mission is to conduct 24-hour cycling events that increase public awareness, funds, and support for LIVESTRONG and local cancer organizations. Local organizations includeThe Keep Pounding Fund at Carolinas Medical Center and the Brain Tumor Fund for the Carolinas in Charlotte, the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults in Columbia, Md., and Aflac Cancer Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

In 24 Hours of Booty’s nine-year history, more than 9,100 riders have raised more than $5 million. The 10th Annual 24 Hours of Booty presented by Levine Cancer Institute in Charlotte is scheduled to roll on the Myers Park “Booty Loop” from 7 p.m. Friday, July 29 to 7 p.m. Saturday, July 30, 2011. 24 Hours of Booty will also host the Third Annual 24 Hours of Booty of Columbia, Md. at the Gateway Business Park “Booty Loop” on August 27-28, 2011 and the Second Annual 24 Hours of Booty of Atlanta at the Stone Mountain “Booty Loop” on Oct. 1-2, 2011. For more information, call 704-365-4417 or visitwww.24hoursofbooty.org.

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