That's why 80 SolidWorks Corporation employees, resellers, customers, partners, vendors, friends, family and others associated with SolidWorks will pedal their bicycles up to 192 miles over two days this August in the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge, the most successful athletic fundraising event in the nation. Team SolidWorks aims to raise $500,000 in the event benefiting the Jimmy Fund, which supports cancer research and care at Boston's world-renowned Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
"Our goal is an ambitious one, to say the least," says Team SolidWorks co-captain Jim Wilkinson, director of SolidWorks usability group. "Our grand total has risen every year, but we don't have quite as many riders in 2007. Either way, we're going to raise as much as we can in hopes of curing this terrible disease."
Most of Team SolidWorks will ride the longest PMC route, Sturbridge to Provincetown, on Aug. 4 and 5. Last year, the team was the largest in the event with the second-largest fundraising total, $480,000. Riders come from as far as California and the United Kingdom, and the SolidWorks Corporation senior executive team is well represented.
This year, the team will ride in special tribute to:
Stephanie, an 11-year-old who is the official Pedal Partner of Team SolidWorks 2007. She was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in October of 2006 but is now in remission and is receiving treatment at the Jimmy Fund Clinic in Boston. Stephanie is an avid athlete and continues to participate in Little League and bowling.
Peter Brennan, an avid environmentalist who died in March of kidney cancer shortly after his retirement. He was the father of longtime SolidWorks employee Julie Brennan.
Ari, the six-year-old nephew of Team SolidWorks rider (and top fundraiser) Robert Goodman. Ari was diagnosed in 2006 with Pre-B cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.
Erica, the eight-year-old daughter of a product manager at SolidWorks Corporation. At five-years-old, she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (A.L.L.). At Dana-Farber Cancer Institute she received chemotherapy, radiation, and a bone marrow transplant to successfully treat her disease.
Chris Berg, a quality assurance engineer at SolidWorks Corporation who lost his battle with cancer five years ago at age 29. He is remembered for his friendly demeanor and strong work ethic in the face of his toughest battle.
Hayley, a 10-year-old who was diagnosed with a Wilm's Tumor (kidney cancer) when she was five. The doctors removed the tumor along with one of her kidneys. She was treated at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and received follow-up care at The Jimmy Fund Clinic and the Perini Clinic at The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Hayley, who was a PMC Pedal Partner of Team SolidWorks in 2006, is now cancer free.
More details on these individuals are available at www.teamsolidworks.com/ under "Why We Ride."
"This company is serious about giving back to the community, whether that's the engineering community, the local community, the developing world, or in this case, the cancer community, whose membership is far too vast," says Wilkinson. "We invite everyone to consider joining this effort by riding, donating, volunteering, or just keeping cancer patients and their families in your thoughts." For more information, visit www.teamsolidworks.com/.Team SolidWorks has ridden the PMC since 2002 raising a total of over $1 million from individuals and corporate sponsors of Team SolidWorks. Gold sponsors for 2007 include: 3DVision Technologies; Alliance for Dental Care, PLLC; Anglo Irish Bank; CADD Edge, Inc.; DS Graphics; Geometric Software Solutions Co. Ltd.; GlobalVision International, Inc.; GoEngineer; Lambda Research Corporation; Northeast Delta Dental; NVIDIA Corporation; Ropes & Gray LLP; SolidWorks Corporation; and Spatial Corporation.
About SolidWorks Corporation
SolidWorks Corporation, a Dassault Systemes S.A. (Nasdaq: DASTY, Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) company, develops and markets software for design, analysis, and product data management. It is the leading supplier of 3D CAD technology, giving teams intuitive, high-performing software that helps them design better products. For the latest news, information, or an online demonstration, visit the company's Web site (www.solidworks.com) or call 1-800-693-9000 (outside of North America, call +1-978-371-5000).
SolidWorks is a registered trademark of SolidWorks Corporation. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Copyright (c) 2007 SolidWorks Corporation.
Click here to listen to a podcast interview with Team SolidWorks Co-Captain Jim Wilkinson.
You can subscribe to SolidWorks podcasts through iTunes, My Yahoo and sign up to an RSS feed linking you to new podcasts.
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