March 10, 2004
Katelynn's Ride to Raise Money for the Jimmy Fund, June 5
Hundreds to Ride in Memory of Girl Lost to Cancer
AMHERST, Mass. — If Katelynn Battista had not lost her battle with cancer in 1997, she would be graduating from high school in June and spending the first weekend of the month celebrating with friends and family. Instead, hundreds will gather in her memory on June 5, 2004 and ride to fight the disease that took her life.
Katelynn's Ride is an auxiliary ride of the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge (PMC) — a spoke in the PMC wheel — which raises money for cancer research and treatment for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund. In its fourth year, Katelynn's Ride has set a goal of raising $205,000, in effort to bring the event's four-year total to $500,000. After having raised this sum, a plaque honoring Katelynn Battista will be placed in the Jimmy Fund Clinic.
When Katelynn was just 11 years old, the story of her personal strength and will to live touched the hearts of many people in her community. At a young age, Katelynn knew the importance of setting and focusing on goals. "Nothing is ever too hard to do if your faith is strong and your purpose is true," she said. Today these words can be read along the routes of Katelynn's Ride.
Katelynn's Ride participants can choose between riding a 10, 25, 50 or 100-mile loop; each begins and ends at Hampshire College in Amherst. The 400 riders will range in age from 7 to 70. Registration costs $25. Riders must raise $250 if they are older than 18 and $100 if they are 18 or younger. All riders who raise at least $500 will be eligible to win two round-trip tickets on American Airlines to a destination of their choice. Registration is open now. Riders are encouraged to register early, as the number of riders will be limited.
This year marks the PMC's 25th annual ride. Thanks to auxiliary events like Katelynn's Ride, and the continued efforts of thousands of cyclists and fundraisers, the PMC expects to bring its 25-year Jimmy Fund contribution above the $120 million mark. For more information about Katelynn's Ride, visit www.kride.com or call the Jimmy Fund office in West Springfield at (413) 733-1200.
