Beloved 71-Year-Old Local Businessman Ready for Pan-Mass Challenge

By Katie Stuart 

Special to Hampton-North Hampton Patch, with contributions by Patch Editor Kyle Stucker

On Saturday, Aug. 3, and Sunday, Aug. 4, 18 residents from the Hampton area will participate in the 34th annual Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC), the nation’s first charity bike-a-thon that raises more money than any other athletic fundraising event in the country. They will be among 5,500 cyclists who will ride with the collective goal of raising $38 million to support adult and pediatric patient care and cancer research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through the Jimmy Fund. 

Hampton's George Privé, 71, the recently-retired owner of Hampton Falls Village Market, is among the local participants. Privé, whose wife Paula is a 37-year cancer survivor, is riding this year in honor of close friends and many others he knows who have been impacted by cancer. 

"In April 2012, I lost a good friend, Frank Camarda, of Hampton Falls," wrote Privé on his PMC profile and donation page. "Frank fought a courageous but short battle to kidney cancer.  Frank always had a warm greeting and large smile. We also lost Jack Gale of Hampton, who worked as a volunteer on Paula's crew for many years. This year's ride is in memory of them and my best friend, John Bocko, who passed away over 6 years ago."

[Editor's note: A full list of all of the Hampton-area residents participating in the 2013 PMC is attached to this story as an image file.]

PMC riders range in age from 13 to 88. Some are seasoned tri-athletes while others are weekend warriors having trained for this event alone. Many PMC participants ride in honor of a family member or friend lost to, or being treated for, cancer. All share a passion and desire to one day find a cure for the disease. The average PMC cyclist trains for three months, solicits 40 sponsors, and raises more than $6,000.  Doctors ride alongside their patients; grandparents ride with their grandchildren; and others show support from the sidelines in the form of donations and cheers. More than 300 riders are cancer survivors or current patients.

“It’s a powerful and emotional weekend for everyone involved,” said Billy Starr, Pan-Mass Challenge founder and executive director. “From the cyclists, to volunteers, staff and family and friends along the route, the PMC unifies 10,000 people for one weekend to make a difference and raise funds to eradicate cancer.”

During PMC weekend, individual cyclists unite to become one extended family. The camaraderie shared by 5,500 cyclists, more than 3,000 volunteers, and thousands of spectators, is one reason cyclists from 36 states and eight countries return to Massachusetts each August to participate in the PMC.

No other single athletic event raises or contributes more money to charity than the PMC. Since 1980, the PMC has raised $375 million for adult and pediatric cancer research and patient care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The PMC gives 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar directly to Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund, a rate of fundraising that is nearly unequaled within the $3 billion athletic fundraising event industry. In 2012, the PMC raised $37 million, accounting for more than 50 percent of the Jimmy Fund’s annual revenue. More than 230,000 individual contributions were made to last year’s PMC fundraising campaign.

The PMC is a fully supported bike-a-thon — with food and water stops, mechanical and medical assistance, luggage transportation, and lodging — that runs through 46 towns across Massachusetts. Cyclists choose from 11 routes of varying mileage designed to cater to all levels of cycling strength and time availability. There are six two-day routes that range from 153 to 190 miles and five one-day rides that range from 25 to 110 miles. In 2013, cyclists are required to raise between $500 and $4,300 to ride in the PMC. This commitment to the fundraising portion of the PMC is a testament to riders’ dedication to the cause and their belief in the PMC mission.

The PMC is presented by the Red Sox Foundation and the New Balance Foundation. To become a virtual rider, or make a financial contribution to a rider from your town, visit www.pmc.org, or call (800) WE-CYCLE. Checks can be made payable to PMC, 77 Fourth Ave., Needham, Mass. 02494.