6 August 2008 — If there was any thought in my mind that Americans were starting to curb their support of causes, this has been absolutely obliterated. Last weekend, I experienced a top-ten social cause moment in my life. It was the annual Pan Mass Challenge bike race — a two-day bike race that passes through 46 towns in Massachusetts along a nearly 200 mile route. Since its inception in 1980, this event has raised more than $204 million for cancer research, making it the the largest sport fundraising event in the nation. More than 5,000 bike riders take part every year, hundreds of them cancer survivors themselves.

While the number of participants and dollars raised is awe-inspiring in itself, what struck me the most about this event was the numbers of people who turned out to cheer the bike riders on. As I drove down the quaint roads of Cape Cod over the weekend, I passed literally hundreds and hundreds of individuals, families, and groups who had gathered since early morning along the sides of the streets with cheers, waves, and signs. Many did not know the riders personally, but they cheered as though each rider was their son or daughter, husband or wife, mom or dad. Some people had signs naming a loved one that was battling cancer, and cheered out big thank yous to the riders as they drove by. From a cause communications perspective, I was blown away by the power of the images around me. The most powerful is one I will never forget — the image of a mother holding up high over her head a picture of her young daughter battling leukemia, as thousands of riders swept past in a blur of color and social consciousness.

Congratulations to all who organized, raced and supported the Pan Mass Challenge this year. To learn more about this event, visit www.pmc.org.