December 21, 2005
Pan-Massachusetts Challenge 2006 fact sheet
About the PMC:
The Pan-Massachusetts Challenge (PMC), presented by the Boston Red Sox and Overstock.com, is the nation's original fundraising bike-a-thon and today raises more money than any other athletic fundraising event in the country. The PMC is a model of efficiency for all nonprofit organizations. Last year, the PMC donated 99 cents of every rider-raised dollar directly to cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund. The PMC generates nearly 50 percent of the Jimmy Fund's annual revenue and is its single largest contributor. In 2005, 3,883 PMC cyclists raised and contributed $23 million to the Jimmy Fund, bringing its 26-year contribution to more than $145 million.
The Ride:
The PMC is a fully supported bike-a-thon which provides food and waterstops, mechanical and medical assistance, luggage transportation, and lodging through 43 towns across Massachusetts. Cyclists choose from eight routes of varying mileage designed to cater to all levels of cycling strength and time availability. Two-day rides include the original 192-mile Sturbridge to Provincetown route; 180-mile Sturbridge-Bourne-Wellesley route; 163-mile Wellesley-Bourne-Provincetown route; or the 153-mile Wellesley-Bourne-Wellesley route. One-day riders cycle the 111-mile Sturbridge-Bourne route, the 84-mile Wellesley-Bourne route, the 70-mile Wellesley-Sturbridge route, or the 70-mile Sturbridge-Wellesley route. In 2006, cyclists must raise between $1,300 and $3,300 to ride in the PMC, depending on the chosen route.
When:
The 27th annual PMC will be held on Aug. 4, 5, and 6, 2006. It begins on Friday, Aug. 4 with an opening ceremony that will be televised live on New England Cable News. The ride will have two starting lines on Saturday, Aug. 5, in Sturbridge and in Wellesley, and four finish lines: one-day riders can finish in Bourne, Wellesley, or Sturbridge on Saturday, Aug. 5 and two-day riders will finish in either Wellesley or Provincetown on Sunday, Aug. 6.
Who:
4,000 cyclists from 30 U.S. states and six countries will ride in PMC 2006. Nearly 200 riders are cancer survivors or current patients. Some PMC cyclists are weekend warriors; others are trained triathletes. Many PMC participants ride in honor of a family member or friend fighting the disease. Cyclists range in age from 15 to 80. The average PMC cyclist is 43 years old, trains for three months, solicits 40 sponsors, and raises over $5,500. During PMC weekend and throughout the year, 2,222 volunteers donate their time and nearly 200 corporations provide in-kind donations of products or services.
Growth:
| YEAR | RIDERS | CONTRIBUTION |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 36 | $10,200 |
| 1985 | 472 | $250,000 |
| 1990 | 980 | $1.3 million |
| 1995 | 1,715 | $3.5 million |
| 2000 | 2,847 | $12.5 million |
| 2005 | 3,883 | $23 million |
| 2006 | 4,000 | $24 million GOAL |
Media Contact:
Jackie Herskovitz
(617) 269-7171
jackie@pmc.org
