PMC season kicked off this weekend with the annual Pedal Partner Party at Boston's Fenway Park. We had a great time! This year, more than 1,000 PMC riders will dedicate their ride to 79 young children who are being treated for cancer at the Jimmy Fund Clinic. The party offers a unique meet and greet with the backdrop of Fenway Park. PMCer Stacey Lucchino was on hand to greet the families and riders and also took baseball fans on private tours of the park. At the Pedal Partner Party we met children including six-year-old Connor Jones, a very enthusiastic, outgoing boy who wants to be a police officer when he grows up. At the Pedal Partner Party, Connor met his match: real Georgetown Police officer Derek Jones. The two hit it off, with Derek giving Connor his badge to hold and telling him all about life as a police officer.
Connor Jones and Derek Jones, a perfect Pedal Partner match
Matt Bodenrader offered his own dose of inspiration to riders, families and children. Matt is the PMC's first Pedal Partner-tuned-PMC rider. At age nine, Matt was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer that required intense, prolonged chemotherapy treatments.
Matt Bodenrader
During his treatment, Matt was Pedal Partner with the Team 9, the PMC team of Red Sox players' wives and staff. At age 15, Matt rode alongside Team 9, and this year, he will bike in his fourth PMC. Read a story about Matt in the Lowell Sun. Matt, and other Team 9 cyclists met their new Pedal Partner, 12-year-old Brian Pender of Amesbury. Brian and his family were great to meet and they are looking forward to supporting Team 9 in the PMC – the Penders are even planning to host a charity softball tournament to help Team 9 meet its fundraising goals.
Team 9 and the Pender family
Here are some more great pictures from the event:
Team Legs
Team Legs Pedal Partner Faith (right)
Team Coehog with Pedal Partner Chris
Photos by Jim Stankiewicz
