By Judy O’Gara

This June, the Franklin PMC Kids Ride will be one of more than 20 PMC Kids Rides hosted throughout New England in 2024. 

PMC Kids Rides engage local youth in philanthropy in a safe and athletic way, giving them the opportunity to join over 6,500 adult Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) cyclists in their mission to fund lifesaving cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Since the program’s inception, PMC Kids Rides have raised more than $11 million towards the fight against cancer.

In 2023, 19 PMC Kids Rides attracted 1,400 young cyclists and 563 volunteers to raise more than $400,000 as part of the PMC’s record-breaking $72 million gift to Dana-Farber. 2024 is particularly special as it marks the 20th anniversary of the PMC Kids Rides program! This year, the PMC is also positioned to cross a monumental $1 billion in lifetime fundraising for Dana-Farber – and 100 percent of every dollar raised through the Franklin Kids Ride will contribute to this milestone.  

The Franklin PMC Kids Ride is in its 18th year and expects 100 children, ages 3 to 14. Kids can choose from a 3, 6, or 10-mile course. Younger riders, not yet on two wheels, can take part in the Tikes and Trikes course in a contained area. There will be several fun stations and activities for the little ones. The Franklin PMC Kids Ride will hold a party after the ride with music, food, games and more to celebrate rider achievements. The ride hopes to raise $50,000 this year.

The Franklin PMC Kids Ride was started by Lisa Marchioni, a Franklin resident. 

“I started the Franklin ride in honor of one of my closest friends who passed away from lung cancer,” said Marchioni. “She left 3 small children, and I truly didn’t want to see other families go through the pain and heartbreak. I rode the adult PMC in 1991, and I was going to ride again until I saw the kids’ rides had started. So, I had two of my children ride the Medfield ride in her honor and they really understood why they were riding. I thought that this was so important to teach the younger generation how to give back and be a force for making a difference. My daughter was so touched by what she accomplished that she wanted her friends to be involved and ride with her. She asked me if she could start a ride in our town and that’s how the Franklin Ride began.”

The Franklin PMC Kids Ride will be held on Sunday, June 9, from 8 a.m. to noon at the Jefferson Elementary School, located at 628 Washington Street in Franklin. All towns are welcome! There is a $20 registration fee and a $40 fundraising minimum. The PMC Kids Rides program is presented by Yawkey Foundations; program sponsors include Yasso, 105.7 WROR, and Landry’s Bicycles. The PMC is co-presented by the Red Sox® Foundation and M&T Bank. 

For more information, to register, or to make a contribution, please visit https://kids.pmc.org/franklin or contact Lisa Marchioni at [email protected].