Volunteering At The Pan-Mass Challenge

Joyce and our oldest daughter Lisa volunteered to help out at the Pan-Mass Challenge headquarters. Their job was to bag the items that each rider receives for the race.

If you're not familiar with the challenge, it is not a race, it's an indurance run made up of mostly cancer survivors, friends, family, and supporters. Click here for the Story of how it began.

Our son-in-law is a survivor of brain cancer, and this will be his third time biking this event. The challenge begins in Sturbridge, Ma. and ends in Province Town, Ma.. The route will take the riders through our town and pass the high school where we will be volunteering our services and cheering on the group.

About the PMC:

The Pan-Massachusetts Challenge is an annual bike-a-thon and a pioneer of the athletic fundraising industry that today raises more money for charity than any other single event in the country. The organization was founded in 1980 and has since raised $338 million for cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy  Fund. The PMC is a model of fundraising efficiency. The PMC donates 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar directly to the cause. In 2011, the PMC generated 60 percent of the Jimmy Fund’s annual revenue and it was Dana-Farber’s single largest contributor. Over 230,000 individual contributions were made to last year’s fundraising campaign. In 2012, PMC cyclists will ride with the goal of raising $36 million for Dana-Farber.

The Ride:

The Pan-Massachusetts Challenge is a fully supported bike-a-thon — with food and water stops, mechanical and medical assistance, luggage transportation, and lodging — that runs through 46 towns across Massachusetts. Approximately 5,500 cyclists ride in the event. Cyclists choose from 11 routes of varying mileage designed to cater to all levels of cycling strength and fundraising ability. There are six two-day routes that range from 153 to 190 miles and five one-day rides that range from 25 to 110 miles. In 2012, cyclists are required to raise between $500 and $4,300 to ride in the PMC, depending on the chosen route.