As February has come to a close, I would like to update on my progress in training and fundraising for the Pan-Mass Challenge.
As for fundraising, thanks to an increasing number of you, I reached a total of $585 towards my $4,200 goal, or 14%. That’s quite a ways ahead of last year, where I stood at $375, or 10% of last year’s goal. This is remarkable, considering the state of the economy.
What Can You Do?
I am not shy about asking you to donate as a sponsor for my ride. This link will take you straight to my donation page. Any help of any amount is appreciated, and 100% of your donations go to the Dana Farber Cancer Center in Boston.
But I am also sensitive to the fact that more people who might normally want to cannot give money this year. What I would ask of any of you in that situation is to pass my PMC profile link to five (or more) of your friends. The profile page tells a bit about the PMC and why I am doing it.
Here is the URL, spelled out for easy cut-and-paste: http://www.pmc.org/mypmc/profiles.asp?Section=story&eGiftID=DH0159
One thing my involvement in social media has shown me is the ability for connections to multiply, and for people to do good things for each other. There is a reason I raised almost all of my sponsorships through social networks last year, and expect a similar thing to happen this year.
I would like to single out my friend and former colleague Allison Yochim, who with a single message to her mother unleashed a network of her mother’s friends in Illinois, who have already begun to sponsor me. Amazing!
I would also like to single out for thanks my friend Liz Page, who has kindly let me crash her spinning classes, and is offering further advice to get me into real cycling shape. I have mentioned that before, and how her spinning classes have totally kicked my butt to get me ready for the grueling two-day PMC ride in August.
It is selfless people, giving in ways beyond merely sponsoring, that have made participating in an event like the Pan-Mass Challenge a real community effort.
One other way to help; the Pan-Mass Challenge is now accepting sign-ups for volunteers. Last year, nearly 3,000 volunteers made the PMC go smoothly, from registration, to food and water stops, to moving luggage and fixing bikes. The event doesn’t happen without these folks, and I can tell you the cyclists and organizers show their appreciation, every step (pedal?) of the way. New volunteer applications are being taken March 17. More information at the official PMC blog.
Now if this snow will only stop, maybe I can actually get out and train on my new bike!