PMC 2023
PMC 2023 is in the record books. My 32nd ride. It was wonderful to ride with my Toby's Team teammates (the very best) and to be greeted by my family at the finish line.
Thanks for continuing to encourage all cancer patients, their caregivers, the researchers seeking elusive cures, and me and all the riders and volunteers associated with this tremendous and effective effort.
Sincerely, Ron
PMC 2022
On the eve of this year's PMC, August 5th, I received a disturbing phone call from my friend's wife that her husband and devoted companion of many years had suddenly and unexpectantly passed away-just a few hours before she called. Bob was a special person. While cancer was not the cause of his death, he nevertheless occupied my thoughts throughout this year's challenging ride. The hot conditions we faced this year - this was the 3rd hottest ride in the PMC's 43 year history - reflect the many challenges Bob faced and met succesfully throughout his life. He will perpetually be a part of all my future PMC efforts. His uniqueness and special brand of friendship, for which I am forever grateful, will propel me forward each year regardless of the conditions.
The PMC is very much about hope, optimism and persverance and the collective efforts of many, especially you, keep the momentum going. Onward and upward!
Thank you for continuing to encourage all cancer patients, their care-givers, the researchers relentlessly seeking elusive cures and me and the other riders with your support.
Sincerely, Ron
PMC 2021
Dear All:
On Saturday morn, August 7th, I set out for my thirtieth PMC from an eerily quiet Sturbridge Host parking lot. I did so without my fellow Toby’s Team teammates and without the fanfare and thousands of other riders, spectators and cheering squads so typical at the start of the PMC’s Sturbridge, MA to Provincetown 2-day ride. My teammates were poised to ride an out and back century on Sunday with a modified Wellesley start and finish. It is these ‘first- full weekend’ of August rides crisscrossing Massachusetts that we coalesce around each year (“virtually” or “reimagined” when we must) and that catapult our efforts forward to secure the dollars that fund Dana Farber Cancer Institute’s vital cancer research and patient care. Please do donate what you can.
The same Covid-19 virus that forced all of us to “reimagine” our rides or to ride “virtually” last year impacted this year’s ride too. Adjustments were made by all riders, volunteers and PMC staff and the core annual traditions continued the most important of which is fundraising. Approximately 900 riders embarked from Sturbridge on a rolling-start basis from whichever local hotel we were staying at. No more than a couple of hundred bikes were in the start racks at the Host. Except for Maura who saw me off and then so helpfully acted as my supplemental road support crew this year, I was alone at the start. Only the police officers and firemen present wished me good luck as I turned left onto Main Street and set off into the darkness. Rose was cheering me on from afar.
Cool and dark turned quickly into cozy at first light and then warm and sunny and so on and so forth. Before I knew it, I had passed the lunch stop and was well on my way in the building heat. There was a little bit of cat and mouse with a few of the pace lines out there but mostly I was left alone and to my own thoughts. Familiar sights and sounds paved my way as I ‘caught up’ with those dearly missed because they are no longer here with us as they were before their cancers prevailed. Despite significant and perpetual advancements by DFCI, the scourge of cancer remains present and widespread. Thus, our PMC mission continues. I was heartened, as I always am, by the big, beautiful pictures of the PMC pedal partners posted upon the approach to the Lakeville rest stop. These kids, and their family members and supporters, epitomize courage and beauty. Despite their battles, many come to this rest stop to meet up with and cheer on the PMC teams they are affiliated with. How inspiring!
Particularly touching this year, a great loss was endured by the family and friends of Mike Sierra who lost his battle to cancer in March. For those of you who attended our (Maura and Ron’s) wedding back in 1999, you may well have had the privilege of meeting him and his wonderful and strong wife Kaye. He was a very special and brave person (and they a very special couple) and will be ever so missed. If you read his obituary linked below, you will learn about some of the many things that made Mike so special. Please do.
MICHAEL J. SIERRA Obituary (1941 - 2021) - Round Hill, VA - San Antonio Express-News (legacy.com)
After reaching the Massachusetts Maritime Academy (Day 1 official finish line) and a little break under a shade tree, I walked my bike over the arched Bourne Bridge high above the Cape Cod Canal and then pedaled onward to the beautiful, quaint Cape Cod town of Barnstable. There Maura met me, served me lunch in the exquisitely air conditioned confines of our SUV and then used her full arsenal of techniques (elbows and knees) to break up the knots in my back while I lay prone on the shaded grounds of the courthouse just enough to send me on my way again. Then I was off to Nickerson State Park in Brewster where I called it a day at the 146 mile mark. Early Sunday morning I completed the course when I reached the perennial Provincetown Inn finish line where I was greeted by a cheering crowd of one, Maura, and the abundant natural beauty of the tip of Cape Cod. Then off I rode, leisurely, a few more miles to this year’s official ride finish line next to the Pilgrim Monument where I was met by PMC volunteers and my brother Mark, my niece Julia and her good friend Sarah. It was so nice to be greeted by them and to get out of the saddle.
Next year I am hopeful that Covid-19 will no longer be the threat that it has been last year and this, and that the official finish will return to the Provincetown Inn with legions of riders crossing that finish line to the thrill of many cheering family members, friends, volunteers and inquisitive passersby. We reflect also on all those lost to Covid-19 and know that their memories will be a blessing to all those left with their loss.
Your Support is Greatly Appreciated,
Ron
PMC 2020 = PMC REIMAGINED
Dear All:
On Saturday, August 1st Toby’s Team gathered via Zoom for an atypical PMC weekend get-together. Far from the PMC start lines in Massachusetts (there are multiple routes to accommodate the growing number of riders each year), we were relegated to utilizing technology to simulate the strong sense of togetherness and purpose we typically experience over PMC weekend. Absence certainly does make the heart grow fonder. During our Hollywood Squares-like virtual session, to which some of us tuned in while still “out on the road,” we each shared summaries of the rides we had embarked on in this year’s PMC diaspora in lieu of the canceled PMC 2020. All of us missed banding together in one place and cycling across Massachusetts for the cause and the comradery we have come to enjoy over our decades of participation in this effective counter measure to the scourge of cancer.
PMC 2020 REIMAGINED BACKGROUND
After prudently making the tough call to cancel the “in-person” portions of the 2020 PMC due to the risks associated with the Covid-19 global pandemic, PMC REIMAGINED emerged as a way for all of us to virtually simulate the real thing. This adaptation enabled us to get on with the business of raising those all-important dollars that we present to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute each year. Last year’s check, in the amount of a record breaking $63 Million, for cancer research, treatment and care exceeded our lofty goal. We hope to exceed this year’s C-19 adjusted goal of $41 Million as well. We’ll get back to chasing record setting numbers next year. Here’s a link to a PMC REIMAGINED video for your viewing pleasure; https://vimeo.com/446907947.
While the goal of eradicating cancer in our lifetimes has not yet been reached, much progress has been made and more is coming each year. Our collective efforts have made a big, tangible difference. THANK YOU! But we must not rest on our laurels. Hopefully my postponed 29th year of riding the PMC 2-day route in MA will have been completed by this time next year and on or about this date 2021, I will be summarizing tales of our triumphant return to the byways and highways between Sturbridge and Provincetown. In the meantime your support of PMC REIMAGINED is very much appreciated.
Thanks again.
Sincerely, Ron
PMC Ride 2019 - SPIRIT OF THE PMC
Dear All,
At exactly 5:33:57am on the morning of Saturday, August 3rd I embarked on my 28th Pan-Mass Challenge riding from Sturbridge, MA to Provincetown, MA via the Mass Maritime Academy in Bourne. The weather was cooperative throughout the 2-day, 190+ mile ride and I was able to reach one of my long term goals - not stopping on Day 1 until reaching the MMA in Bourne, MA where we spend the night. I was clocked in at 11:25:08am at which point, it is accurate to report, it felt good to get off my bike :>).
The next morning I, along with my stalwart Toby’s Team teammates (see pictures of this years ride by clicking dropbox link below), departed Mass Maritime Academy for Provincetown via the 80+ miles of rolling hills and twists and turns of Cape Cod. Our route traverses the Cape until there is but a spit of land between Cape Cod Bay and the open ocean. After a nice visit with my family and friends at Jams in Truro, MA (about 15 miles from the end) I was clocked in at the Provincetown Inn finish line at 9:44:15 where more cheering crowds and picturesque views awaited.
In addition to my annual PMC ride “conversations” with lost friends and loved ones I am always and especially inspired about a mile before the Lakeville waterstop on Day 1 during which stretch the pictures and names of all the “Pedal Partners” (kids fighting cancer who are partnered up with PMC rider teams) are displayed along the roadside. Many of the Pedal Partner kids and families are at that rest stop and at other points along the route cheering all the riders on as all the riders send the cheers right back. Beautiful!
Thanks for your support.
Sincerely, Ron
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/gg58c2ruo4ptub9/AADHhCBgb8wVgpqnz5hcWnoga?dl=0
PMC Ride 2018
To All,
For the 27th time I completed the two day Pan-Mass Challenge which as most of you know is a 193 mile bicycle ride to raise funds to fight the scurge of cancer. Among many other things, the ride affords me the time and solitude to ‘catch up’ with those loved ones, friends and acquaintances of mine/ours taken by cancer. Unfortunately the list grows longer each year. Fortunately the ride is long enough and our conversations, some of which are out loud, soothe me. This year I got caught several times by riders who approached unheard before passing. Gave them something to think about as they rode :>).
Off we went at 5:30 am under cloudy skies on Saturday morning, August 4th from Sturbridge, MA and we didn’t stop until we reached the Mass Maritime Academy on the Cape Cod Canal in Bourne, MA. Barely stayed ahead of the rain. Following a short night of cold, wind-driven rain the skies cleared as Toby’s Team departed at 5:00 am for the finish line in Provincetown, MA at the tip of Cape Cod. The weather cooperated and we all safely completed the ride with thousands of our fellow riders all motivated by the same goal-raising the funds necessary to further the research which a) will eventually eradicate cancer and b) provides ever improving care for the all too many patients fighting cancer at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA. The following are some pertinent statistics related to this year’s ride;
Did you catch that last stat? Our goal this year is to raise and contribute $52 million dollars to Dana Farber. We are already past the $48 million mark but must now dig in to raise the final $4 million.
Our heartfelt motivation in this endeavor is to raise the level of care for all who have been touched by cancer and to keep the memory of our lost loved ones alive.
Without our PMC raised funds the progress of Dana Farber’s battle against cancer would be significantly and negatively impacted. Please help us keep the momentum and the march toward eradication going.
Thanks for your much appreciated contributions and support!
Sincerely,
Ron
More from Past Years Below
PMC Ride 2016
To All,
It’s been more than two and a half years since Maura received her scary cancer diagnosis. All seems well now and we know how fortunate she is, that others are not as fortunate and that circumstances can always change.Thus, I once again trained for and rode last month’s Pan-Massachusetts Challenge 2016 to raise money to fuel the efforts made at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute to find the cure for cancer and to improve the care of those battling this dangerous disease. It was my 25th year of riding in this incredible event. With the cooperation of good weather, no mechanical problems and a smorgasbord of other contributing factors I (and my wonderful Toby’s Team teammates) finished safely and I was able to average over 18 MPH for the 193 mile course.
Each year there are a multitude of moments and things that are particularly memorable and special to me. Among my absolute favorites always are seeing my dear family and friends in Truro on Day 2, the conversations I have with family, friends and others taken by cancer and seeing the beautiful pictures of all the PMC pedal partners (those who are currently fighting cancer and are partnered with PMC teams) mounted on frames along the roadside that sway in the wind. I read aloud the names printed on each as I rode by what this year seemed like more than 100 beautiful, uplifting and lively pictures (think of Harry Potter). Many of those PMC pedal partners pictured were lining the course or at one rest stop or another cheering us along as we rode. You can imagine the high level of mutual support.
So this summer’s PMC has come and gone and with your help I will make a substantial contribution to the fundraising necessary to reach this year’s $46 Million Dollar PMC goal and the broader goal of continuing the march toward eradicating cancer. Your assistance is greatly appreciated as always! Note that your financial support has allowed Toby’s Team to raise more than one million two hundred dollars ($1,200,000.00) over the years.
Please consider joining Toby’s Team and riding the PMC if and when you are so inclined. We would love for you to experience the joys and exhilaration of the PMC out on the road. It’s a tremendous experience for a tremendous cause.
In the meantime please accept our heartfelt thanks for your contribution and support without which the PMC would not be the effective success that it is. A tangible difference is being made for those bravely fighting the fight of their lives and tangible progress is being made toward eradicating this scourge!
-Ron Goldstein and Toby’s Team
PMC Ride 2014
Dear Family and Friends,
This year cancer crept closer to us than it ever has before.
On January 2, 2014 it infiltrated our family and our home. Standing beside Maura that morning, listening in as her oncologist conveyed over the phone that test results revealed she would have to contend with bilateral breast cancer, I witnessed and felt her absorb the menacing news. It was quite shocking. Then, Maura immediately began to navigate her way through the arduous, exhausting and intimidating process of researching the meaning of her doctor's words and the pros and cons of the options available to her. All this she tackled while keeping the rhythms of our family life chugging along.
I watched and felt Maura endure all the challenges of surgeries and the physical and psychological aspects of recovery from my front row perch. They continue today. Maura did all this with the support of our daughter Rose, me and our loving family members and friends - too many of whom have had to wage their own battles with cancer - but, of course, it is she who has had to endure the brunt of it.
From the perspective of someone who has witnessed all too many family members and loved ones face the scourge of cancer, and despite having seen first hand that progress has indeed been made in the areas of researching and understanding cancer in all its forms, making diagnoses thereof, remedies and care regimens, we’re not yet there by any stretch of the imagination. Therefore we must relentlessly continue the broader battle of funding the research.
Toward that end last month, as Maura continued her progress along the road of recovery, I joined my Toby’s Team teammates to ride the 193 mile PMC route from Sturbridge, MA to Provincetown on Cape Cod. I was motivated by Maura’s difficult yet successful battle and the battles of all past, current and future cancer sufferers and their loved ones. Joined by family and friends, Maura cheered me and the other PMC riders on as we pedaled through Truro toward the finish line. Then, as she has done for most of the past 23 PMC’s I have ridden in, she picked me up in Provincetown and our family vacations began.
Thus, another summer has now passed and I have completed the PMC once again. With your help, I will contribute to the fundraising necessary to reach this year’s $40 Million Dollar PMC goal and the broader goal of continuing the march toward eradicating cancer forever. Your assistance is greatly appreciated!
We would love for you to join Toby’s Team and ride the PMC with us if and when you are so inclined. Once you experience the joys, exhilaration and challenge of the PMC out on the road, you won't regret the commitment. It’s a tremendous experience for a tremendous cause.
In the meantime please accept our heartfelt thanks for your contributions, love and support.
-Ron
PMC Ride 2010
To All ,
Several weeks ago, on August 7th, 2010, I pedaled away from the start of the 31st Pan-Mass Challenge with my teammates and thousands of other similarly motivated riders. We all (approximately 5,000 riders) pedal together toward a common goal of eradicating cancer during our lifetimes. It was my twentieth time riding in this 2-day, 193-mile bicycle ride/fundraiser across the state of Massachusetts. All funds raised are for cancer research and treatment at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund in Boston, Massachusetts. Now that the ride is over it’s time to get down to the business of fundraising before the October 1st deadline.
During the ride and at the risk of being overheard, it’s a tradition of mine to engage in one-way conversations with those of my loved ones and friends who are no longer here to cheer me on or to chat with in person. Like clockwork I always catch up with them the first full weekend of every August while riding the PMC. Their numbers have grown over the years but in multiples, so has the positive force of the PMC and the progress made at Dana Farber. Not fast enough to preclude last year’s addition of my Mother's name to the list referred to above, but fast enough to result in tangible and steady progress. We are certainly getting 'closer by the mile.' Until our mission of eradicating cancer is complete, the list will grow more slowly due to the work of the dedicated medical and professional staff at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute spurred on by our contributions and encouragement. It is typical for 100% of donations to go to the DFCI, a real tribute to the talented visionaries and administrators of this athletic fundraising event and a large part of why I participate every year I possibly can.
Toby’s Team, formed by my childhood friend and named after his Mom who succumbed after a brave 14-year battle with cancer, has raised more than $600,000 over the years. Although our small group of riders and supporters aim to reach the $1,000,000 mark before we are forced by aching joints to hang up our bikes, the more important goal is that of the PMC, which hopes this year to write a check to Dana Farber for $31,000,000. Once this goal is reached the total raised since 1980 will be over THREE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS. This is what fuels the DFCI's engines of research and what provides for the state of the art care it gives to those who are so courageously battling this terrible disease.
Please take the time to scroll through the PMC website to learn more about this wonderful and inspiring event but most importantly, please click on the DONATE TO MY RIDE tab below and contribute whatever you can or click on the JOIN MY RIDE tab to make a donation and join me as a virtual rider. Every dollar is significant and appreciated. For those who may be interested in riding in or volunteering for the Pan-Mass Challenge I’d be happy to speak with you at any time. The ride, which ends at the tip of the Cape (Cape Cod, Massachusetts), is a great prelude to a family vacation on the beautiful beaches of the Cape’s National Seashore.
Thank you for so generously supporting this great cause and my effort to help keep the momentum building.
-Ron Goldstein
2009
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 GOLDSTEIN, Judith K. Judith K. Goldstein (Karr) died peacefully at her home in Bloomfield on Monday, (March 9, 2009) with her loving husband Harvey by her side. Her death followed a courageous four year battle with ovarian cancer. Born November 11, 1934 in New York City, Judy moved to Connecticut in 1945 where she attended Northeast Jr. High School and graduated with Weaver High School's class of 1952. Judy earned her Associate's Degree from Central Connecticut State University in 1954 and then attended University of Hartford pursuing coursework in English Literature, Spanish and Theater. She married Harvey D. Goldstein of Hartford on June 13, 1954. Judy's career included various positions with the Hartford Department of Public Welfare, Combustion Engineering in Windsor and Thompson Music Company in West Hartford which she operated with her husband and her brother-in-law from 1967 until 1998. All the while Judy closely managed her home life, tended to the well being and education of her three sons, preserved and nurtured relationships with family members and friends, read consistently, maintained her interest in local and world affairs, regularly attended the Hartford Symphony Orchestra's concerts and enjoyed the Arts in general. Her interest in the lives of others made her the source for information about classmates, neighbors, friends and family members. She was a longtime member of the Congregation Beth Israel Synagogue in West Hartford. Post retirement activities included teaching reading skills to students at West Middle School in Hartford through the Hartford Jewish Coalition for Literacy. She thoroughly enjoyed all of the beautiful children she tutored. The eldest daughter of Stanley S. and Rose M. Karr, she is survived by her beloved husband Harvey; her dear children, Mark E. Goldstein and his wife Jill of Milwaukee, WI, Mitchell A. Goldstein and his wife Mimi of Portland, OR, Ronald L. Goldstein and his wife Maura of Arlington, VA; her cherished grandchildren, Julia, Michael and Rose; her loving sister, Laurie Karr of Blowing Rock, NC and her devoted brother-in-law, Bill Goldstein and his wife Joyce of Poinciana, FL. She is also survived by her niece and nephews, Margi Denton-Goldstein of Madison and David J. Goldstein of Gaithersburg, MD, Shawn B. Schrager of Charlotte, NC and Adam T. Schrager of Ashburn, VA, their beautiful families and many loving cousins, extended family members and dear friends. She was predeceased by her father, Stanley S. Karr of Freeport, NY; her sister, Diana P. Schrager of West Palm Beach, FL; her Uncle, Sidney P. Collins and her mother, Rose M. Collins, both of Delray, FL and all of blessed memory. Judy always demonstrated her love for and dedication to her husband Harvey throughout their 55 year marriage and to her children, family and friends. Music, theater and the arts remained of particular interest throughout her life. Judy's love of travel resulted in many wonderful trips with Harvey and her family. Funeral Services will be held in the main Sanctuary of Congregation Beth Israel, 701 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford on Thursday, March 12, at 11 a.m. with Rabbi Stephen Fuchs and Cantor Pamela Siskin officiating. Interment will follow in Beth Israel cemetery located at 27 Jackson Street, Avon 06001 after which friends and family will be received at her home in Bloomfield. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Harvey and Judy Goldstein Music Fund at Congregation Beth Israel or to the Pan-Mass Challenge RG0008, 77 4th Avenue, Needham, MA 02494. All PMC contributions will be dedicated to ovarian cancer research. The family extends their gratitude to Dr. Stacy Nerenstone of Oncology Associates and her staff, Dr. Paul Vignati, Dr. Joel Sorosky, the staffs of the 5th and 8th floors of Hartford Hospital's Bliss Wing, and Judy's in-home hospice caregivers for their guidance and care. Arrangements entrusted to Weinstein Mortuary, Hartford. For further information, directions, or to share memories of Judy with her family, please visit online at www.weinsteinmortuary.com. |
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PMC 2023
PMC 2023 is in the record books. My 32nd ride. It was wonderful to ride with my Toby's Team teammates (the very best) and to be greeted by my family at the finish line.
Thanks for continuing to encourage all cancer patients, their caregivers, the researchers seeking elusive cures, and me and all the riders and volunteers associated with this tremendous and effective effort.
Sincerely, Ron
PMC 2022
On the eve of this year's PMC, August 5th, I received a disturbing phone call from my friend's wife that her husband and devoted companion of many years had suddenly and unexpectantly passed away-just a few hours before she called. Bob was a special person. While cancer was not the cause of his death, he nevertheless occupied my thoughts throughout this year's challenging ride. The hot conditions we faced this year - this was the 3rd hottest ride in the PMC's 43 year history - reflect the many challenges Bob faced and met succesfully throughout his life. He will perpetually be a part of all my future PMC efforts. His uniqueness and special brand of friendship, for which I am forever grateful, will propel me forward each year regardless of the conditions.
The PMC is very much about hope, optimism and persverance and the collective efforts of many, especially you, keep the momentum going. Onward and upward!
Thank you for continuing to encourage all cancer patients, their care-givers, the researchers relentlessly seeking elusive cures and me and the other riders with your support.
Sincerely, Ron
PMC 2021
Dear All:
On Saturday morn, August 7th, I set out for my thirtieth PMC from an eerily quiet Sturbridge Host parking lot. I did so without my fellow Toby’s Team teammates and without the fanfare and thousands of other riders, spectators and cheering squads so typical at the start of the PMC’s Sturbridge, MA to Provincetown 2-day ride. My teammates were poised to ride an out and back century on Sunday with a modified Wellesley start and finish. It is these ‘first- full weekend’ of August rides crisscrossing Massachusetts that we coalesce around each year (“virtually” or “reimagined” when we must) and that catapult our efforts forward to secure the dollars that fund Dana Farber Cancer Institute’s vital cancer research and patient care. Please do donate what you can.
The same Covid-19 virus that forced all of us to “reimagine” our rides or to ride “virtually” last year impacted this year’s ride too. Adjustments were made by all riders, volunteers and PMC staff and the core annual traditions continued the most important of which is fundraising. Approximately 900 riders embarked from Sturbridge on a rolling-start basis from whichever local hotel we were staying at. No more than a couple of hundred bikes were in the start racks at the Host. Except for Maura who saw me off and then so helpfully acted as my supplemental road support crew this year, I was alone at the start. Only the police officers and firemen present wished me good luck as I turned left onto Main Street and set off into the darkness. Rose was cheering me on from afar.
Cool and dark turned quickly into cozy at first light and then warm and sunny and so on and so forth. Before I knew it, I had passed the lunch stop and was well on my way in the building heat. There was a little bit of cat and mouse with a few of the pace lines out there but mostly I was left alone and to my own thoughts. Familiar sights and sounds paved my way as I ‘caught up’ with those dearly missed because they are no longer here with us as they were before their cancers prevailed. Despite significant and perpetual advancements by DFCI, the scourge of cancer remains present and widespread. Thus, our PMC mission continues. I was heartened, as I always am, by the big, beautiful pictures of the PMC pedal partners posted upon the approach to the Lakeville rest stop. These kids, and their family members and supporters, epitomize courage and beauty. Despite their battles, many come to this rest stop to meet up with and cheer on the PMC teams they are affiliated with. How inspiring!
Particularly touching this year, a great loss was endured by the family and friends of Mike Sierra who lost his battle to cancer in March. For those of you who attended our (Maura and Ron’s) wedding back in 1999, you may well have had the privilege of meeting him and his wonderful and strong wife Kaye. He was a very special and brave person (and they a very special couple) and will be ever so missed. If you read his obituary linked below, you will learn about some of the many things that made Mike so special. Please do.
MICHAEL J. SIERRA Obituary (1941 - 2021) - Round Hill, VA - San Antonio Express-News (legacy.com)
After reaching the Massachusetts Maritime Academy (Day 1 official finish line) and a little break under a shade tree, I walked my bike over the arched Bourne Bridge high above the Cape Cod Canal and then pedaled onward to the beautiful, quaint Cape Cod town of Barnstable. There Maura met me, served me lunch in the exquisitely air conditioned confines of our SUV and then used her full arsenal of techniques (elbows and knees) to break up the knots in my back while I lay prone on the shaded grounds of the courthouse just enough to send me on my way again. Then I was off to Nickerson State Park in Brewster where I called it a day at the 146 mile mark. Early Sunday morning I completed the course when I reached the perennial Provincetown Inn finish line where I was greeted by a cheering crowd of one, Maura, and the abundant natural beauty of the tip of Cape Cod. Then off I rode, leisurely, a few more miles to this year’s official ride finish line next to the Pilgrim Monument where I was met by PMC volunteers and my brother Mark, my niece Julia and her good friend Sarah. It was so nice to be greeted by them and to get out of the saddle.
Next year I am hopeful that Covid-19 will no longer be the threat that it has been last year and this, and that the official finish will return to the Provincetown Inn with legions of riders crossing that finish line to the thrill of many cheering family members, friends, volunteers and inquisitive passersby. We reflect also on all those lost to Covid-19 and know that their memories will be a blessing to all those left with their loss.
Your Support is Greatly Appreciated,
Ron
PMC 2020 = PMC REIMAGINED
Dear All:
On Saturday, August 1st Toby’s Team gathered via Zoom for an atypical PMC weekend get-together. Far from the PMC start lines in Massachusetts (there are multiple routes to accommodate the growing number of riders each year), we were relegated to utilizing technology to simulate the strong sense of togetherness and purpose we typically experience over PMC weekend. Absence certainly does make the heart grow fonder. During our Hollywood Squares-like virtual session, to which some of us tuned in while still “out on the road,” we each shared summaries of the rides we had embarked on in this year’s PMC diaspora in lieu of the canceled PMC 2020. All of us missed banding together in one place and cycling across Massachusetts for the cause and the comradery we have come to enjoy over our decades of participation in this effective counter measure to the scourge of cancer.
PMC 2020 REIMAGINED BACKGROUND
After prudently making the tough call to cancel the “in-person” portions of the 2020 PMC due to the risks associated with the Covid-19 global pandemic, PMC REIMAGINED emerged as a way for all of us to virtually simulate the real thing. This adaptation enabled us to get on with the business of raising those all-important dollars that we present to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute each year. Last year’s check, in the amount of a record breaking $63 Million, for cancer research, treatment and care exceeded our lofty goal. We hope to exceed this year’s C-19 adjusted goal of $41 Million as well. We’ll get back to chasing record setting numbers next year. Here’s a link to a PMC REIMAGINED video for your viewing pleasure; https://vimeo.com/446907947.
While the goal of eradicating cancer in our lifetimes has not yet been reached, much progress has been made and more is coming each year. Our collective efforts have made a big, tangible difference. THANK YOU! But we must not rest on our laurels. Hopefully my postponed 29th year of riding the PMC 2-day route in MA will have been completed by this time next year and on or about this date 2021, I will be summarizing tales of our triumphant return to the byways and highways between Sturbridge and Provincetown. In the meantime your support of PMC REIMAGINED is very much appreciated.
Thanks again.
Sincerely, Ron
PMC Ride 2019 - SPIRIT OF THE PMC
Dear All,
At exactly 5:33:57am on the morning of Saturday, August 3rd I embarked on my 28th Pan-Mass Challenge riding from Sturbridge, MA to Provincetown, MA via the Mass Maritime Academy in Bourne. The weather was cooperative throughout the 2-day, 190+ mile ride and I was able to reach one of my long term goals - not stopping on Day 1 until reaching the MMA in Bourne, MA where we spend the night. I was clocked in at 11:25:08am at which point, it is accurate to report, it felt good to get off my bike :>).
The next morning I, along with my stalwart Toby’s Team teammates (see pictures of this years ride by clicking dropbox link below), departed Mass Maritime Academy for Provincetown via the 80+ miles of rolling hills and twists and turns of Cape Cod. Our route traverses the Cape until there is but a spit of land between Cape Cod Bay and the open ocean. After a nice visit with my family and friends at Jams in Truro, MA (about 15 miles from the end) I was clocked in at the Provincetown Inn finish line at 9:44:15 where more cheering crowds and picturesque views awaited.
In addition to my annual PMC ride “conversations” with lost friends and loved ones I am always and especially inspired about a mile before the Lakeville waterstop on Day 1 during which stretch the pictures and names of all the “Pedal Partners” (kids fighting cancer who are partnered up with PMC rider teams) are displayed along the roadside. Many of the Pedal Partner kids and families are at that rest stop and at other points along the route cheering all the riders on as all the riders send the cheers right back. Beautiful!
Thanks for your support.
Sincerely, Ron
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/gg58c2ruo4ptub9/AADHhCBgb8wVgpqnz5hcWnoga?dl=0
PMC Ride 2018
To All,
For the 27th time I completed the two day Pan-Mass Challenge which as most of you know is a 193 mile bicycle ride to raise funds to fight the scurge of cancer. Among many other things, the ride affords me the time and solitude to ‘catch up’ with those loved ones, friends and acquaintances of mine/ours taken by cancer. Unfortunately the list grows longer each year. Fortunately the ride is long enough and our conversations, some of which are out loud, soothe me. This year I got caught several times by riders who approached unheard before passing. Gave them something to think about as they rode :>).
Off we went at 5:30 am under cloudy skies on Saturday morning, August 4th from Sturbridge, MA and we didn’t stop until we reached the Mass Maritime Academy on the Cape Cod Canal in Bourne, MA. Barely stayed ahead of the rain. Following a short night of cold, wind-driven rain the skies cleared as Toby’s Team departed at 5:00 am for the finish line in Provincetown, MA at the tip of Cape Cod. The weather cooperated and we all safely completed the ride with thousands of our fellow riders all motivated by the same goal-raising the funds necessary to further the research which a) will eventually eradicate cancer and b) provides ever improving care for the all too many patients fighting cancer at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA. The following are some pertinent statistics related to this year’s ride;
Did you catch that last stat? Our goal this year is to raise and contribute $52 million dollars to Dana Farber. We are already past the $48 million mark but must now dig in to raise the final $4 million.
Our heartfelt motivation in this endeavor is to raise the level of care for all who have been touched by cancer and to keep the memory of our lost loved ones alive.
Without our PMC raised funds the progress of Dana Farber’s battle against cancer would be significantly and negatively impacted. Please help us keep the momentum and the march toward eradication going.
Thanks for your much appreciated contributions and support!
Sincerely,
Ron
More from Past Years Below
PMC Ride 2016
To All,
It’s been more than two and a half years since Maura received her scary cancer diagnosis. All seems well now and we know how fortunate she is, that others are not as fortunate and that circumstances can always change.Thus, I once again trained for and rode last month’s Pan-Massachusetts Challenge 2016 to raise money to fuel the efforts made at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute to find the cure for cancer and to improve the care of those battling this dangerous disease. It was my 25th year of riding in this incredible event. With the cooperation of good weather, no mechanical problems and a smorgasbord of other contributing factors I (and my wonderful Toby’s Team teammates) finished safely and I was able to average over 18 MPH for the 193 mile course.
Each year there are a multitude of moments and things that are particularly memorable and special to me. Among my absolute favorites always are seeing my dear family and friends in Truro on Day 2, the conversations I have with family, friends and others taken by cancer and seeing the beautiful pictures of all the PMC pedal partners (those who are currently fighting cancer and are partnered with PMC teams) mounted on frames along the roadside that sway in the wind. I read aloud the names printed on each as I rode by what this year seemed like more than 100 beautiful, uplifting and lively pictures (think of Harry Potter). Many of those PMC pedal partners pictured were lining the course or at one rest stop or another cheering us along as we rode. You can imagine the high level of mutual support.
So this summer’s PMC has come and gone and with your help I will make a substantial contribution to the fundraising necessary to reach this year’s $46 Million Dollar PMC goal and the broader goal of continuing the march toward eradicating cancer. Your assistance is greatly appreciated as always! Note that your financial support has allowed Toby’s Team to raise more than one million two hundred dollars ($1,200,000.00) over the years.
Please consider joining Toby’s Team and riding the PMC if and when you are so inclined. We would love for you to experience the joys and exhilaration of the PMC out on the road. It’s a tremendous experience for a tremendous cause.
In the meantime please accept our heartfelt thanks for your contribution and support without which the PMC would not be the effective success that it is. A tangible difference is being made for those bravely fighting the fight of their lives and tangible progress is being made toward eradicating this scourge!
-Ron Goldstein and Toby’s Team
PMC Ride 2014
Dear Family and Friends,
This year cancer crept closer to us than it ever has before.
On January 2, 2014 it infiltrated our family and our home. Standing beside Maura that morning, listening in as her oncologist conveyed over the phone that test results revealed she would have to contend with bilateral breast cancer, I witnessed and felt her absorb the menacing news. It was quite shocking. Then, Maura immediately began to navigate her way through the arduous, exhausting and intimidating process of researching the meaning of her doctor's words and the pros and cons of the options available to her. All this she tackled while keeping the rhythms of our family life chugging along.
I watched and felt Maura endure all the challenges of surgeries and the physical and psychological aspects of recovery from my front row perch. They continue today. Maura did all this with the support of our daughter Rose, me and our loving family members and friends - too many of whom have had to wage their own battles with cancer - but, of course, it is she who has had to endure the brunt of it.
From the perspective of someone who has witnessed all too many family members and loved ones face the scourge of cancer, and despite having seen first hand that progress has indeed been made in the areas of researching and understanding cancer in all its forms, making diagnoses thereof, remedies and care regimens, we’re not yet there by any stretch of the imagination. Therefore we must relentlessly continue the broader battle of funding the research.
Toward that end last month, as Maura continued her progress along the road of recovery, I joined my Toby’s Team teammates to ride the 193 mile PMC route from Sturbridge, MA to Provincetown on Cape Cod. I was motivated by Maura’s difficult yet successful battle and the battles of all past, current and future cancer sufferers and their loved ones. Joined by family and friends, Maura cheered me and the other PMC riders on as we pedaled through Truro toward the finish line. Then, as she has done for most of the past 23 PMC’s I have ridden in, she picked me up in Provincetown and our family vacations began.
Thus, another summer has now passed and I have completed the PMC once again. With your help, I will contribute to the fundraising necessary to reach this year’s $40 Million Dollar PMC goal and the broader goal of continuing the march toward eradicating cancer forever. Your assistance is greatly appreciated!
We would love for you to join Toby’s Team and ride the PMC with us if and when you are so inclined. Once you experience the joys, exhilaration and challenge of the PMC out on the road, you won't regret the commitment. It’s a tremendous experience for a tremendous cause.
In the meantime please accept our heartfelt thanks for your contributions, love and support.
-Ron
PMC Ride 2010
To All ,
Several weeks ago, on August 7th, 2010, I pedaled away from the start of the 31st Pan-Mass Challenge with my teammates and thousands of other similarly motivated riders. We all (approximately 5,000 riders) pedal together toward a common goal of eradicating cancer during our lifetimes. It was my twentieth time riding in this 2-day, 193-mile bicycle ride/fundraiser across the state of Massachusetts. All funds raised are for cancer research and treatment at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund in Boston, Massachusetts. Now that the ride is over it’s time to get down to the business of fundraising before the October 1st deadline.
During the ride and at the risk of being overheard, it’s a tradition of mine to engage in one-way conversations with those of my loved ones and friends who are no longer here to cheer me on or to chat with in person. Like clockwork I always catch up with them the first full weekend of every August while riding the PMC. Their numbers have grown over the years but in multiples, so has the positive force of the PMC and the progress made at Dana Farber. Not fast enough to preclude last year’s addition of my Mother's name to the list referred to above, but fast enough to result in tangible and steady progress. We are certainly getting 'closer by the mile.' Until our mission of eradicating cancer is complete, the list will grow more slowly due to the work of the dedicated medical and professional staff at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute spurred on by our contributions and encouragement. It is typical for 100% of donations to go to the DFCI, a real tribute to the talented visionaries and administrators of this athletic fundraising event and a large part of why I participate every year I possibly can.
Toby’s Team, formed by my childhood friend and named after his Mom who succumbed after a brave 14-year battle with cancer, has raised more than $600,000 over the years. Although our small group of riders and supporters aim to reach the $1,000,000 mark before we are forced by aching joints to hang up our bikes, the more important goal is that of the PMC, which hopes this year to write a check to Dana Farber for $31,000,000. Once this goal is reached the total raised since 1980 will be over THREE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS. This is what fuels the DFCI's engines of research and what provides for the state of the art care it gives to those who are so courageously battling this terrible disease.
Please take the time to scroll through the PMC website to learn more about this wonderful and inspiring event but most importantly, please click on the DONATE TO MY RIDE tab below and contribute whatever you can or click on the JOIN MY RIDE tab to make a donation and join me as a virtual rider. Every dollar is significant and appreciated. For those who may be interested in riding in or volunteering for the Pan-Mass Challenge I’d be happy to speak with you at any time. The ride, which ends at the tip of the Cape (Cape Cod, Massachusetts), is a great prelude to a family vacation on the beautiful beaches of the Cape’s National Seashore.
Thank you for so generously supporting this great cause and my effort to help keep the momentum building.
-Ron Goldstein
2009
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| Judith K. Goldstein | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| GOLDSTEIN, Judith K. Judith K. Goldstein (Karr) died peacefully at her home in Bloomfield on Monday, (March 9, 2009) with her loving husband Harvey by her side. Her death followed a courageous four year battle with ovarian cancer. Born November 11, 1934 in New York City, Judy moved to Connecticut in 1945 where she attended Northeast Jr. High School and graduated with Weaver High School's class of 1952. Judy earned her Associate's Degree from Central Connecticut State University in 1954 and then attended University of Hartford pursuing coursework in English Literature, Spanish and Theater. She married Harvey D. Goldstein of Hartford on June 13, 1954. Judy's career included various positions with the Hartford Department of Public Welfare, Combustion Engineering in Windsor and Thompson Music Company in West Hartford which she operated with her husband and her brother-in-law from 1967 until 1998. All the while Judy closely managed her home life, tended to the well being and education of her three sons, preserved and nurtured relationships with family members and friends, read consistently, maintained her interest in local and world affairs, regularly attended the Hartford Symphony Orchestra's concerts and enjoyed the Arts in general. Her interest in the lives of others made her the source for information about classmates, neighbors, friends and family members. She was a longtime member of the Congregation Beth Israel Synagogue in West Hartford. Post retirement activities included teaching reading skills to students at West Middle School in Hartford through the Hartford Jewish Coalition for Literacy. She thoroughly enjoyed all of the beautiful children she tutored. The eldest daughter of Stanley S. and Rose M. Karr, she is survived by her beloved husband Harvey; her dear children, Mark E. Goldstein and his wife Jill of Milwaukee, WI, Mitchell A. Goldstein and his wife Mimi of Portland, OR, Ronald L. Goldstein and his wife Maura of Arlington, VA; her cherished grandchildren, Julia, Michael and Rose; her loving sister, Laurie Karr of Blowing Rock, NC and her devoted brother-in-law, Bill Goldstein and his wife Joyce of Poinciana, FL. She is also survived by her niece and nephews, Margi Denton-Goldstein of Madison and David J. Goldstein of Gaithersburg, MD, Shawn B. Schrager of Charlotte, NC and Adam T. Schrager of Ashburn, VA, their beautiful families and many loving cousins, extended family members and dear friends. She was predeceased by her father, Stanley S. Karr of Freeport, NY; her sister, Diana P. Schrager of West Palm Beach, FL; her Uncle, Sidney P. Collins and her mother, Rose M. Collins, both of Delray, FL and all of blessed memory. Judy always demonstrated her love for and dedication to her husband Harvey throughout their 55 year marriage and to her children, family and friends. Music, theater and the arts remained of particular interest throughout her life. Judy's love of travel resulted in many wonderful trips with Harvey and her family. Funeral Services will be held in the main Sanctuary of Congregation Beth Israel, 701 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford on Thursday, March 12, at 11 a.m. with Rabbi Stephen Fuchs and Cantor Pamela Siskin officiating. Interment will follow in Beth Israel cemetery located at 27 Jackson Street, Avon 06001 after which friends and family will be received at her home in Bloomfield. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Harvey and Judy Goldstein Music Fund at Congregation Beth Israel or to the Pan-Mass Challenge RG0008, 77 4th Avenue, Needham, MA 02494. All PMC contributions will be dedicated to ovarian cancer research. The family extends their gratitude to Dr. Stacy Nerenstone of Oncology Associates and her staff, Dr. Paul Vignati, Dr. Joel Sorosky, the staffs of the 5th and 8th floors of Hartford Hospital's Bliss Wing, and Judy's in-home hospice caregivers for their guidance and care. Arrangements entrusted to Weinstein Mortuary, Hartford. For further information, directions, or to share memories of Judy with her family, please visit online at www.weinsteinmortuary.com. |
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I have chosen to keep all of my donors' information confidential; therefore it is not displayed on my PMC public donor list.
