Eversource Energy : Employees Gearing Up for 2019 Pan-Mass Challenge

For nearly 40 years, the cyclists who participate in the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC), now the largest single athletic charity event in the country, have been raising millions in support of cancer research. This year, three employees from our engineering department will participate in the two-day, 192-mile ride from Sturbridge to Provincetown as part of Team Courage Conehead.

Together, they've raised nearly $20,000, and 100 percent of those donated funds will go directly to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. John Zicko, our Director of Substation Design, Jerry Fortier, our Director of Project Controls, and John Case, our Director of Transmission Line Engineering, are feeling ready for the challenge and each one has a personal reason for participating.

(from left to right: John Case, John Zicko, and Jerry Fortier)

'It's such a worthy cause that helps so many people around us every day. We all know a family member, friend, or acquaintance who is a cancer survivor, is undergoing treatment, or lost their battle,' said Fortier, who will be riding his eighth consecutive challenge this weekend. 'The PMC is truly a display of the best that humanity has to offer. We share stories, support each other, and embrace this great cause.'

There's also a significant amount of training and preparation that goes into participating in a bike ride of this magnitude.

'Training has gone really well. We typically ride more than 1,000 miles in order to be ready for the challenge. The first day of the ride is 111 miles. The second day, we wake up before sunrise to tackle the other 81 miles,' explained Zicko.

Their shared passion for riding and serving others is empowering to many. If you're participating in the PMC, or if you'll be out cheering along the route, be sure to keep an eye out for the Courage Coneheads!