February 25, 2008
Three friends bike cross-country for the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge
For three men, the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge (PMC), the nation's pioneer charity bike-a-thon that raises more money than any other athletic event in the country, begins some 4,000 miles from the official starting line.
Long before 5,500 cyclists descend on a small Massachusetts town for the start of the PMC, a 190-mile, two-day bike ride across the state, Justin Merolla, Jamie Merolla and Ben Herrmann, all of Larchmont, N.Y., will start their ride in San Francisco.
For eight weeks, the men will ride through mountains and deserts, ultimately arriving Aug. 2 in Sturbridge for the start of the PMC.
Riders in the 29th annual PMC aim to raise $34 million for lifesaving cancer research and treatment for adult and pediatric cancer patients at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund.
Brothers Justin, 24, and Jamie, 19, lost their mother to breast cancer in 1995. Their father, who supported cancer research as a long-time PMC rider, died in 1998 at age 46 from a blood clot.
"My brother and I are close to the cancer cause," said Justin Merolla, who rode in the PMC last year for the first time. "Riding across the country is a way for us to do something in their memory and to identify with my dad. I'd like to think they'd be proud of us. It's really something for us to do for them."
The trio will leave from New York City and fly to San Francisco. They plan to begin their ride from the San Francisco Bay, dipping their tires in the Pacific Ocean on June 1.
Their goal is to raise $75,000 in their cross-country bicycle ride. They've dubbed their trip the Pan USA Challenge.
"Raising money for research is the main goal. The other stuff is just fun," Jamie Merolla said. "We've been training for a while now, and I'm more excited about this than anything else in my life. I feel connected to both my mother and my father as I do this."
To keep costs low, each cyclist will have a trailer attached to their bike filled with camping gear and other items. They hope to ride 80 to 100 miles day, and plan to visit local hospitals along the way to visit with cancer patients. They also plan to sell Pan USA Challenge bracelets for $1, with all the money going to the PMC.
All three men are natives of Larchmont, N.Y. Justin Merolla recently was working in finance in Boston. Jamie Merolla is a student at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn. Herrmann lives in New York City and will attend law school in the fall.
Follow Justin, Jamie and Ben on their ride by visiting www.panusachallenge.org.
About the PMC
The Pan-Massachusetts Challenge, an annual bike-a-thon, is a pioneer of the athletic fundraising industry and today raises more money for charity than any other single event in the country. In 2007, the PMC raised $33 million, and, since 1980, it has raised more than $204 million for cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund. The PMC is a model of fundraising efficiency. In 2007, the PMC donated 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar directly to the cause. The PMC generates half of the Jimmy Fund's annual revenue and it is Dana-Farber's single largest contributor. More than 230,000 individual contributions were made in last year's fundraising campaign. This year's goal is to raise $34 million. The PMC is sponsored by the Boston Red Sox Foundation and Overstock.com. For more information about the PMC, visit pmc.org or call 800-WE-CYCLE.
Contact
Stephanie Chelf
Teak Media
(617) 269-7171
stephanie@teakmedia.com
