Dartmouth students and community members raised a record-setting $2.2 million for the Norris Cotton Cancer Center during The 29th Annual Prouty Century Bike Ride and Challenge on July 9 and 10, according to Prouty Events Director and Friends of Norris Cotton Cancer Center Executive Director Jean Brown.
More than 4,500 individuals participated in this year's Prouty events, according to Rebecca Gray, senior program manager for the Friends of Norris Cotton. Almost 3,000 individuals cycled and 1,530 walked in the event, she said.
"This is based on [participation] bibs handed out and does not include our total number of virtual participants, or the number of people who raised money and intended to participate but then were deterred by the rain," Gray said.
Event organizers aim to raise $2.25 million to fund cancer research and treatment over the course of the year, according to Brown. Since the fund is open for donations year-round, they will likely reach that goal, Brown said.
"This is the most money raised in 29 years, which is very exciting given the recent crash of the economy," she said.
Brown added that she was "excited" about the turnout of students and community members given the weather conditions at the event, which included rain and high temperatures.
The participation of Dartmouth Greek organizations is important, Brown said.
"[Prouty] would not be possible without their participation," Brown said, adding that Greek participation in the event was similar to that of previous years.
Three participation-based $1,000 prizes were awarded to Greek organizations at the end of the Prouty to winning groups for use at social events, according to Brown. Awards are granted to the organization with the highest percentage of total house participation, the most money raised for the event and the highest number of students to complete the 100-mile bike ride, she said.
Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority raised more money for the event than any other Greek organization donating $9,000 according to Kappa service chair Sarah Aziz '12.
"We wanted the campus to recognize that Kappa cares and is involved with important issues, and to send the broader message that women are capable of accomplishing whatever they set their mind on," Aziz said.
Theta Delta Chi fraternity won the "Iron Butt" award, given to the organization that had the most members complete the 100-mile bike ride, Theta Delt programming chair Jordan Weissman '12 said. Eight members participated in the bike ride, he said.
"Most of the guys around here enjoy a physical challenge, so plenty of people were ready and willing to ride the hundred, especially for such a good cause and with the prospect of winning some money for the house," Weissman said, adding that the organization's high participation in past years encouraged members to participate in the event this year.
William Mueller '12, a member of Theta Delt who participated in the 100-mile bike ride, said that the Prouty "makes sense" to him personally.
"To see the individuals around you, a lot of them cancer survivors themselves, working hard to make it through the mountains of New Hampshire was all the incentive I needed to keep going," he said.
The Prouty, first organized in 1982, was formed "to honor the courage and strength" of Audrey Prouty, a cancer patient at Norris Cotton who was treated by four nurses who organized and participated in the first event, according to Prouty's website. Prouty died before the bike ride was established, but the nurses raised $4,000 to fund cancer research and treatment in her name, the website said.
Organizers have raised more than $9 million for the event since its inception, according to the website.
