Hello to all my amazing Friends, Family, and Colleagues!
My name is Joe LaLiberte, and I’ve been involved with PMC since the summer of 2020. I’ve always wanted to ride in the race, but I work as a teacher and coach and in the summers since I was 17, I’ve spent 9 weeks at Camp Belknap in NH, with only one day off per week. Thus, it’s never been feasible to get time off for the weekend race. It is certainly on my bucket list should my summer ever free up.
In January of 2020, my family and I found out that our dear family friend and neighbor, Lisa Dutile, had been diagnosed with stage III ovarian cancer. Being someone who had been involved with organizations like Relay for Life and Walk for Hunger since I was a kid, I wanted to do anything and everything I could to help out. Knowing her husband, Dale, was a biker, I decided to sign up for a local 50-mile race that June, Bikes Fight Cancer, to help raise money in her name with the group title Lisa’s Riders along with my Mom. I was excited to take on the challenge and began training and raising money right away.
Of course, as we all know, COVID hit that following March. The race, just like PMC and so many others, was canceled and went virtual. That was when I discovered that one of BFC’s partners was the PMC, so I saw a path to doing something I never otherwise could do – participate in the PMC (now that camp was also canceled for the summer). I decided that a clever way to raise money for Lisa would be to ride a mile for every $10 raised. So, I set out to do so, and I successfully rode over 200 miles and raised $2,188.55. Fortunately, the following summer, they retained the virtual option, which is perfect for someone like me who wants to raise but can’t make the actual race. So – in 2021, amidst a modified camp schedule (due to COVID), I was able to ride over 300 miles throughout the summer, raising $3,505.00. I was thrilled, and I even got the chance to be interviewed in my local NJ newspaper (at the time, I lived and worked in NJ) to spread the word about PMC and Lisa’s condition. This felt like something I could do for a long time.
I still believe that this is something I will do for a long time. However, reality hit me hard this year (2022) when I realized that I had taken on far more than I was able to balance at once. To start, I was in an intensive one-year Masters of Education program that I had to complete concurrently with my teaching/coaching job in MA (many weekend trips to Philly and back between work days). Secondly, I got a puppy, and without proper crate training (he’s a rescue and wouldn’t take to the crate), getting out to ride was extremely difficult. Finally, camp was back in its normal full swing, and I had forgotten after two COVID-distorted summers that my free time to ride (especially with a puppy in my care) was few and far between. I didn’t want to launch my fundraising without having ridden any substantial miles and sadly, that trend continued for months.
This fall, amidst a hectic work schedule 7:30am – 6pm coaching football and scooping my dog from day care, it simply wasn’t possible for me to get myself going in any significant way to log substantial miles. I continually impeded myself, as I I didn’t feel comfortable asking friends and family for money having not ridden any substantial miles all year. As a teacher and coach, I preach to my athletes and students not to make any excuses. I know this letter feels like a bunch of those, and I not trying to hide that fact. The reality is – I signed up for something extremely important to me and didn’t get it done. I have been dreading this day for weeks now because I am someone who follows through, and I regret to report that today and this year, I didn’t. At least, not yet. I may have not ridden my miles this year, but I am hoping to finish strong with some fundraising.
Sadly, we lost Lisa in her battle with ovarian cancer last December. Her one-year anniversary was this December. I feel even more terrible that in the one year I could actually honor her memory by riding, I bit off more than I could chew and I fell short. Fortunately, there's still time to fundraise and make things right. Next year, without a shadow of doubt in my mind, I am going to get the job done. I am going to raise over $5,000 in her name. That means 500+ miles on the year, and I’m ready for that. Next year I am going to ride. Lisa was an extremely positive person, and I know that despite my present disappointment in myself, if she were here today, she’d be telling me to keep my head up and focus on 2023, but first, to get the job done in 2022. So that’s what I’m hoping to ask of you today.
I hope you can understand the position I am in and would be willing to donate to my PMC today. I hope to ride and fundraise with the PMC for many more years in Lisa’s name. Please allow me to put this one year in the rearview and focus on a big 2023 to honor Lisa appropriately. Thank you to PMC for all that they do for the community and to fight cancer. I am proud to represent the PMC and am committed to demonstrating that pride in 2023 to make up for a disappointing 2022. Thanks for your time and consideration today, and I wish you all a Happy Holiday and all the very best in 2023.
Sincerely,
Joe LaLiberte
___________
Similar, I'm sure, to many of you reading this, I've lost many family and friends to Cancer. If we can come together in the spirit of cancer research AND making me bike until it hurts, thats a win-win!
I'm a proud supporter of the PMC because it is leading a charge to beat cancer. In fact, last year 100% of rider-raised revenue went directly to support the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's tireless commitment to finding a cure.
Hello to all my amazing Friends, Family, and Colleagues!
My name is Joe LaLiberte, and I’ve been involved with PMC since the summer of 2020. I’ve always wanted to ride in the race, but I work as a teacher and coach and in the summers since I was 17, I’ve spent 9 weeks at Camp Belknap in NH, with only one day off per week. Thus, it’s never been feasible to get time off for the weekend race. It is certainly on my bucket list should my summer ever free up.
In January of 2020, my family and I found out that our dear family friend and neighbor, Lisa Dutile, had been diagnosed with stage III ovarian cancer. Being someone who had been involved with organizations like Relay for Life and Walk for Hunger since I was a kid, I wanted to do anything and everything I could to help out. Knowing her husband, Dale, was a biker, I decided to sign up for a local 50-mile race that June, Bikes Fight Cancer, to help raise money in her name with the group title Lisa’s Riders along with my Mom. I was excited to take on the challenge and began training and raising money right away.
Of course, as we all know, COVID hit that following March. The race, just like PMC and so many others, was canceled and went virtual. That was when I discovered that one of BFC’s partners was the PMC, so I saw a path to doing something I never otherwise could do – participate in the PMC (now that camp was also canceled for the summer). I decided that a clever way to raise money for Lisa would be to ride a mile for every $10 raised. So, I set out to do so, and I successfully rode over 200 miles and raised $2,188.55. Fortunately, the following summer, they retained the virtual option, which is perfect for someone like me who wants to raise but can’t make the actual race. So – in 2021, amidst a modified camp schedule (due to COVID), I was able to ride over 300 miles throughout the summer, raising $3,505.00. I was thrilled, and I even got the chance to be interviewed in my local NJ newspaper (at the time, I lived and worked in NJ) to spread the word about PMC and Lisa’s condition. This felt like something I could do for a long time.
I still believe that this is something I will do for a long time. However, reality hit me hard this year (2022) when I realized that I had taken on far more than I was able to balance at once. To start, I was in an intensive one-year Masters of Education program that I had to complete concurrently with my teaching/coaching job in MA (many weekend trips to Philly and back between work days). Secondly, I got a puppy, and without proper crate training (he’s a rescue and wouldn’t take to the crate), getting out to ride was extremely difficult. Finally, camp was back in its normal full swing, and I had forgotten after two COVID-distorted summers that my free time to ride (especially with a puppy in my care) was few and far between. I didn’t want to launch my fundraising without having ridden any substantial miles and sadly, that trend continued for months.
This fall, amidst a hectic work schedule 7:30am – 6pm coaching football and scooping my dog from day care, it simply wasn’t possible for me to get myself going in any significant way to log substantial miles. I continually impeded myself, as I I didn’t feel comfortable asking friends and family for money having not ridden any substantial miles all year. As a teacher and coach, I preach to my athletes and students not to make any excuses. I know this letter feels like a bunch of those, and I not trying to hide that fact. The reality is – I signed up for something extremely important to me and didn’t get it done. I have been dreading this day for weeks now because I am someone who follows through, and I regret to report that today and this year, I didn’t. At least, not yet. I may have not ridden my miles this year, but I am hoping to finish strong with some fundraising.
Sadly, we lost Lisa in her battle with ovarian cancer last December. Her one-year anniversary was this December. I feel even more terrible that in the one year I could actually honor her memory by riding, I bit off more than I could chew and I fell short. Fortunately, there's still time to fundraise and make things right. Next year, without a shadow of doubt in my mind, I am going to get the job done. I am going to raise over $5,000 in her name. That means 500+ miles on the year, and I’m ready for that. Next year I am going to ride. Lisa was an extremely positive person, and I know that despite my present disappointment in myself, if she were here today, she’d be telling me to keep my head up and focus on 2023, but first, to get the job done in 2022. So that’s what I’m hoping to ask of you today.
I hope you can understand the position I am in and would be willing to donate to my PMC today. I hope to ride and fundraise with the PMC for many more years in Lisa’s name. Please allow me to put this one year in the rearview and focus on a big 2023 to honor Lisa appropriately. Thank you to PMC for all that they do for the community and to fight cancer. I am proud to represent the PMC and am committed to demonstrating that pride in 2023 to make up for a disappointing 2022. Thanks for your time and consideration today, and I wish you all a Happy Holiday and all the very best in 2023.
Sincerely,
Joe LaLiberte
___________
Similar, I'm sure, to many of you reading this, I've lost many family and friends to Cancer. If we can come together in the spirit of cancer research AND making me bike until it hurts, thats a win-win!
I'm a proud supporter of the PMC because it is leading a charge to beat cancer. In fact, last year 100% of rider-raised revenue went directly to support the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's tireless commitment to finding a cure.
| 2022 | $135.00 | Reimagined |
| 2021 | $3,505.00 | Reimagined |
| 2020 | $2,188.55 | PMC Rider |
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Joe LaLiberte
