[ccfic caption-text format="plaintext"]
By Douglas McCulloch
Hometown Weekly Staff
The ninth annual Westwood Kids Pan-Mass Challenge raced through the Martha Jones School in Westwood last Sunday.
Over 410 riders and 200 volunteers turned out to the Kids PMC, which raises money for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute to support cancer research.
Despite the threat of scattered showers, the event went off without a cloud in the sky and proved to be yet another fun day for Westwood kids and families.
“It ended up being great,” said event organizer Andrea Kelly. “We were nervous about the rain but it ended up being nice out.”
With the Kids PMC now out of the way, the event is well on its way to raising funds to benefit Dana Farber Cancer Institute’s fight against cancer.
“So far we have raised about $36,000,” Kelly said. “Usually by the end it raises anywhere near $50,000, if not more.”
The Westwood Kids PMC is organized every year to give Westwood’s youth an opportunity to ride for a cause, just like those who participate in the much larger Pan-Mass Challenge bike ride through the state.
“The kids just really like riding their bikes for a good cause,” Kelly said. “It’s a nice fun day for people to give back.”
The Westwood Kids PMC offered a number of race courses, including a 1-mile, 5-mile, and 10-mile ride. According to Kelly, the 5-mile ride is usually the most popular event, and this year was no exception.
In addition to the rides, a number of fun activities were also offered. For younger kids, a special obstacle course let kids under the age of 4 participate, and many kids enjoyed activities such as face painting.
Donations are still being accepted. To help the Westwood Kids PMC hit their fundraising goal, click here to make a donation.
Click here to see more photos from the Westwood Kids PMC.
