For Jack Nuland ’13, volunteering means giving hope to those affected by cancer. It means bettering their chances for another birthday and making one more stride, or bike pedal in his case, toward finding a cure. As a third-year volunteer with the Pan Massachusetts Challenge, Nuland says the 198-mile, two-day journey from Sturbridge to Provincetown, Mass., is much more than a bike ride. It’s an act of hope and camaraderie.

In its 31 years, The Pan-Mass Challenge has evolved into an event with 8,500 riders and volunteers who raised over $35 million this year alone, according to Nuland.  He learned about the event through his godfather, John Chase.

“My family has been affected by cancer and, given John’s extensive involvement as the head of the merchandise sector, I was eager to experience it for myself,” Nuland says. He helped distribute and set up merchandise for the event; most is donated.

Nuland, who is from Ridgefield, CT, and graduated from The Taft School, says the atmosphere is unlike any he’s ever experienced. “From celebrities like John Kerry and Lance Armstrong to the inmates who help clean up, each person is there to support the same cause,” he says.  

Nuland remembers his most inspiring moment: “We passed a mother holding a sign that read, ‘My son was not supposed to live past 5.’ About 10 yards down the road stood a little boy holding a sign which said ‘I had my 6th birthday thanks to the PMC. I realized then how incredible it was to be a part of something much bigger than myself.” 
Nuland volunteered alongside four SLU seniors: Amanda Chase ’12, Kirsten Newton ’12, Alison Limoncelli ’12 and Louise “Lou Lou” Wheeler ’12. An environmental studies-economics combined major, he is on the men’s lacrosse team.
--Lauren Liebhaber ’12