DEERFIELD — Nine local cyclists, including seven from Deerfield, are set to ride nearly 200 miles for cancer research next month, joining others from Franklin County.
“On Aug. 5 and 6, ten riders from Ashfield, Deerfield and Montague will cycle up to 192 miles in the Pan-Mass Challenge with the goal of raising $48 million for critical research and cancer care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute,” says a press statement about the upcoming bike-athon.
The Pan-Mass Challenge, sponsored by the Red Sox Foundation and New Balance, annually brings in thousands of cyclists riding and raising money to cure cancer.
This year, organizers are expecting “more than 6,200 cyclists from more than 40 states and eight countries,” the statement says. Riders choose “from 12 routes of varying mileage that run through 46 towns. Cyclists are anywhere between 15 and 84 years old and range from seasoned triathletes to weekend warriors who trained for this event alone.”
To date, the Franklin County riders are as follows: Paul Smyth of Ashfield; Robert Alber, Deerfield; Tim McVaugh, Deerfield; Joseph Butz, Deerfield; Jeffrey Emerson, Deerfield; John J. Stobierski, Deerfield; Jeffrey Galli, Deerfield; Chip Davis, Deerfield; Justin Fermann, Montague; Bridget MacDonald, Montague.
“No other single athletic event raises or contributes more money to charity than the PMC. Since 1980, the PMC has raised $547 million dollars for Dana-Farber through the Jimmy Fund, its fundraising arm,” the statement notes.