Collinsville’s Rob Young, middle, is riding to fight cancer.
A Canton man is leading a team of 33 riders from five states riding to raise $250,000 for cancer research at the Pan Mass Challenge in August. For the eighth consecutive year, Rob Young of Collinsville is leading the team that will ride 192 miles from Sturbridge, Mass., to Provincetown at the tip of Cape Cod on August 1-2.
Young’s Team Courage is called “coneheads” because of the small orange traffic ones that each rider proudly attaches to their bicycle helmets.
“We have a lot of fun with the ride each year, but of course the ride is secondary, the fundraising is the most crucial part of the event. We always remember there is a very serious and urgent reason we’re doing it,” Young said.
Team Courage is comprised of employees from Burns & McDonnell and also includes Burlington’s John Case and West Hartford’s John and Dave Boers and Kevin Duprey. It’s the largest team to date from Burns & McDonnell.
The Pan Mass Challenge is one of the most unique and successful fundraising events in the country, with 100 percent of donated funds going directly to the Jimmy Fund in support of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
Young is motivated by the memory of his father, who was diagnosed with cancer when Young was in the fifth grade. After his father’s death, Young made it his mission to make a difference by doing whatever he could to help find a cure.
For his fundraising efforts and other year-round commitments to give back to his community, Rob received the 2015 Community Leadership award from Burns & McDonnell. The award is presented each year to a Burns & McDonnell employee who best exemplifies the company’s commitment to service and community outreach.
“My story isn’t all that different from others on our team,” said Young, a regional manager for Burns & McDonnell Environmental Studies and Permitting team in Wallingford. “Many of us have had loved ones touched by various forms of cancer and we all agree it’s time to find a cure.”
Fundraising is ongoing and donations can be made at the team webpage.
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