June 2011

Dear Clients, Colleagues, and Friends:

August 6 and 7, 2011 will be the 32^nd annual bicycle ride to benefit the Dana Farber Cancer Institute’s Jimmy Fund.  As many of you know, the Jimmy Fund Clinic has successfully treated thousands of children from New England and throughout the world.  The bicycle ride, which is known as the Pan Massachusetts Challenge (PMC), began in 1980 and has raised over $300 million since that time.  The two-day ride is from Sturbridge to Provincetown, Massachusetts, - a total distance of 194 miles. 

This will be my 17^th year participating in the PMC.  Looking back at my first PMC, I can’t believe that it’s been this long.  At that time, I was a cyclist but not a cyclist.  The longest ride I had done up to that point was on the order of 35 miles.  That’s a far cry from the 115 miles I had to do on the first day and another 85 miles the second day through torrential rain.  What kept me going that year (1995) was that my father and mother-in-law had recently passed away after battling cancer.  Their memory and those of all the others I have ridden for over the last 16 years gives me that push I sometimes need over the tough hills and through the nasty weather. 

There are numerous success stories in the battle against cancer.  One of them is a young boy who holds a sign every year along the PMC route.  The first year I noticed the sign and the little boy holding it, the sign said: “I’m 4 because of you.”  Last year it said: “I’m 17 because of you.”  It is success stories like this that make it all worthwhile. 

As most of you know, every year I dedicate my ride to someone who has battled or is battling cancer.  In the past, I would dedicate it to friends or relatives who have had this battle.  However, last year I joined Team Phat Tuesday, a group of about 30 cyclists who raise around $250,000 each year.  Each PMC team has a “Pedal Partner” - a child who is currently battling cancer.  This year, our Pedal Partner is a two-year-old boy who has a brain tumor.  His story so affected me that I decided to dedicate this year’s ride to him.  His name is Joey Griffith and he is from Foxborough.  It just floors me that a child that young has to battle a disease so horrible.

To participate in the PMC, I need to raise a minimum of $4,000 and am requesting your help.  Last year, many of you came forward and I was able to raise almost $8,000!!  To date your contributions total almost $115,000!!!  Given the economy, I have kept my goal this year at $10,000!!  The size of the donation does not matter - whatever you can contribute will help.  I hope to achieve the $10,000 goal and would greatly appreciate it if you or your firm would pledge toward this worthwhile cause.  In return, I am making a pledge to you.  If you or someone close to you has battled or is now fighting cancer, please give me their name or names to put on the list and I will carry these names with me during my entire ride.  I often think of these names during the ride and it helps me get through the tough miles that tend to come up along the way.  In addition, as many of you know, my firm has merged with Tata & Howard in Marlborough.  As my firm did, Tata & Howard has agreed to help me in my fundraising and will match the largest single gift up to $500. 

Please note that, if you want to, you can pledge over the Internet with your credit card.  The web site is: https://www.pmc.org/jl0037/.  Then you will go to a screen where you can enter your name, pledge amount, and credit card number.  If you are making a pledge over the Internet, please email the names to: jloitherstein@tataandhoward.com.  However, if you do not feel comfortable charging over the Internet, please send me a check made out to “The Jimmy Fund” along with this letter listing any names that you would like me to carry on the ride and mail it to me at: Tata & Howard, Inc.; 67 Forest Street; Marlborough, MA 01752. 

Thank you so much for your generosity and for helping us all on the road to find a cure!

                                                                                                            _______________________________

Your Name:  _______________________________   Pledge:  $__________

Firm Name (if applicable):  ____________________