Pan-Mass Challenge kids ride brings hope to fight against cancer
Riders line up for the Cranberry Country Pan-Mass Challenge kids race at Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School on Sunday, June 14. Photos by Grace Roche
Organizer Bill Goldsmith, right, hugs Everly Jones after she speaks to the crowd. 
Some kids bore Vivian's name on their arms and wore green tutus in memory of their friend. 
Goldsmith talks to a group of Vivian's classmates and friends after the ride. 
A young biker patiently waits for the ride to begin. 
Everly speaks to the crowd and shares why the ride is important to her. 
Bikers get ready for the ride. 
A group of adult riders lead the charge. 
Caleb looks ahead for the starting signal. 
A group of kids line up for the ride. 
Henry cruises by. 
Aria keeps her focus on the track. 
Walker pushes on during the ride. 
The ride raised tens of thousands of dollars for cancer research.
Riders line up for the Cranberry Country Pan-Mass Challenge kids race at Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School on Sunday, June 14. Photos by Grace Roche
Organizer Bill Goldsmith, right, hugs Everly Jones after she speaks to the crowd.
Some kids bore Vivian's name on their arms and wore green tutus in memory of their friend.
Goldsmith talks to a group of Vivian's classmates and friends after the ride.
A young biker patiently waits for the ride to begin.
Everly speaks to the crowd and shares why the ride is important to her.
Bikers get ready for the ride.
A group of adult riders lead the charge.
Caleb looks ahead for the starting signal.
A group of kids line up for the ride.
Henry cruises by.
Aria keeps her focus on the track.
Walker pushes on during the ride.
The ride raised tens of thousands of dollars for cancer research.
ROCHESTER — Over 150 kids on their bikes — and a few scooters — gathered at the starting line of the Cranberry Country Pan-Mass Challenge kids ride to celebrate the culmination of their fundraising efforts.
This year’s ride raised an estimated $45,000 for the Dana Farber Institute, organizer Bill Goldsmith said at the Sunday, June 14 event held at Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School.
This year’s ride was especially meaningful for many community members, as it was held in memory of Vivian Jones. Vivi, as she was known, was an 11 year old girl from Rochester who died of cancer last year.
Her sister Everly rode in this year’s ride as she has for several years. She has been one of the event’s biggest fundraisers in the years she’s participated, and said she fundraises so no family has to experience what she did when she lost her sister.
“My sister died not even a year ago, and I’m here so that nobody has to go through what I did,” she said.
Everly rode alongside many of Vivian’s friends, the group decked in green tutus and body paint. Many of these girls said they were there to support the Jones family and honor their friend’s memory.
“We raise money for Vivian and everyone who's going through cancer,” Grace Mary Scanlon said. “We want to help every single family and find a cure for cancer.”
They said along with riding in honor of their friend, they also want to prevent other people from feeling the loss they experience.
“I'm here today because our best friend Vivian passed away, and we want no one else to have to feel that way,” Autumn Simmons said.
The Rochester community is no stranger to the devastating effects of childhood cancer. Volunteer Sarah Jacques said her kids have taken part in the ride since Chloe Harding, who died in 2018 from cancer, was diagnosed.
She said the yearly event is important to the community, especially because several Rochester children have been diagnosed with cancer over the years.
“We started riding for Chloe, and then we realized what an amazing event it is, and we wanted to come back every single year,” she said. “When Vivian got sick — she was in my youngest son's grade, and he was friends with her — that renewed our energy and our need to come and help.”
Goldsmith described the event as “cathartic,” especially for kids who may otherwise feel powerless when they see cancer affect someone they know. He said he was thankful for the many kids who attended, and for the wider community for its participation as well.
“Once you empower a child with the knowledge that they can do something about it — they can’t change the health of the person, but they can do something to help find a cure — that gives them a sense of hope,” he said.
