PMC Natick Kids Ride to raise money to help fight cancer: Sunday, May 18

NATICK, Mass. — This spring, the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) Natick Kids Ride will be one of 37 PMC Kids Rides throughout New England and beyond. In 2013, the PMC Kids Rides program attracted nearly 4,700 cyclists, ages of 2 to 15, who rode between one and 26 miles in mini bike-a-thons to raise money for cancer care and research.

The PMC Kids Rides are spokes in the PMC wheel, joining the more than 5,500 adult PMC cyclists in their mission to fund adult and pediatric patient care and cancer research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through the Jimmy Fund. The PMC is a two-day, 190-mile bike-a-thon held the first weekend of every August. Since 1980, the PMC has raised $414 million for the Jimmy Fund.

PMC Kids Rides offer a way for children to become part of the PMC mission, involving young people in volunteerism and fundraising in a safe and athletic way. Since the first ride in 1998, The PMC Kids Rides program has raised more than $5.5 million.

To provide the young cyclists with an additional push, the PMC recognizes cyclists in the Kids Rides program who raise $250 or more. Riders who meet this goal are honored as Heavy Hitters and receive an official PMC sack pack and certificate to acknowledge their fundraising achievements. In Natick, riders who raise $100 or more are also awarded into the 100 Club with an exclusive button.

The eighth annual PMC Natick Kids Ride expects more than 200 children, ages 2 to 12, to ride two routes through Belkin Lookout Farm in Natick. The event was started by Missy McCauley and Glynn Hawley, who are both Natick residents, parents, and cyclists for the “grown-up” PMC ride in August. The PMC Natick Kids Ride will hold a party after the ride, which will include a raffle, silent auction, face painting, karate demonstrations, bike decorating, lawn games, art activities, hair braiding, and more. The event hopes to break another fundraising milestone and raise more than $40,000.

The PMC Natick Kids Ride will be held on Sunday, May 18, from 8 to 11:30 a.m., at Belkin Lookout Farm located at 89 Pleasant Street in South Natick. There is a $15 registration fee and $25 fundraising minimum. PMC Kids Rides are sponsored by the Yawkey Foundation. Contributions can be made payable to the Pan-Mass Challenge. To register, visit http://kids.pmc.org. For more information, email Missy McCauley at missymccauley@gmail.com or call 800-WE-CYCLE.

###