Once again, Babson College will host a start-finish line for the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge (PMC), a two-day bike ride to raise $35 million dollars for cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund.

5,500 cyclists from 36 states and eight countries will ride across the Commonwealth in the 30th annual PMC held Saturday and Sunday August 1 & 2, 2009. The ride has two starting lines on Saturday, in Sturbridge and at Babson in Wellesley; and four finish lines: one-day riders finish in Bourne on Saturday, or at Babson on Sunday, and two-day riders finish on Sunday, either at Babson or in Provincetown.

The Pan-Mass Challenge is a pioneer of the athletic fundraising industry and today raises more money for charity than any other single event in the country. In 2008, the PMC raised $35 million. The organization was founded in 1980 and it has raised nearly $240 million for cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund. In 2008, 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. Some 240,000 individual contributions were made in last year’s fundraising campaign.

Cyclists range in age from 13 to 83. The average PMC cyclist is 43 years old, trains for three months, solicits 40 sponsors, and raises more than $6,000. During PMC weekend and throughout the year, 2,800 volunteers donate their time and 200 corporations provide in-kind donations of products or services. The PMC was founded in 1980 by Billy Starr, who remains the event’s executive director, an annual cyclist and a fundraiser. It is presented by the Red Sox Foundation and Overstock.com.

PMC Media contact: Jackie Herskovitz (617) 269-7171 jackie@pmc.org