Volunteer Spotlight: Patsy Coffin

Patsy Coffin’s Ride for Food

Sudbury resident and Open Table volunteer Patsy Coffin has participated in the Ride for Food since 2020, and she’s planning on riding again this year. Here Patsy shares her tips for training and safety while riding.

I was recruited to co-captain the 2020 Open Table Ride for Food team by former Open Table board member and good friend, Norma Frye. Board member and Ride co-captain Peggy McGillin had great plans for recruiting team members and planning fun ride events when the pandemic hit. The actual ride was eventually cancelled and replaced with the now popular “Off the Beaten Path” virtual ride. That presented a huge challenge, especially for my first Ride for Food, but we managed to gather a team of about 30 riders, walkers, runners, swimmers, etc. It was disappointing not to be able to meet as a team, but it turned out to be a very successful fundraiser for Open Table. 

To everyone’s relief, the in-person event resumed the following year. Like many other pandemic-era conveniences, the Off the Beaten Path option remains a popular remote participation alternative. A very popular 5K walk was also added to the live event. 

I’ve been part of the Open Table team as co-captain or team member every year since. My husband has been a team member since 2021, making it a fun family event for us!

I love both the party atmosphere at the Ride for Food and knowing that everyone there is dedicating their time to help others. It doesn’t get better than that, does it?

Training: I’ve been hooked on cycling since I was eight years old when I could first fit on a bike. I’ve had a bike everywhere I’ve lived and particularly enjoyed riding to work when the weather was nice. My husband and I have been riding together since we met. Before we retired, we enjoyed regular after-work rides to unwind and train. In addition to riding around Sudbury and Concord and in the Finger Lakes, we’ve participated in several century or metric century rides. In the winter, we ride on stationary bikes while streaming favorite TV shows. We have a rule that we’re not allowed to stream a show unless we are on our bikes. It provides great motivation for the drudgery of indoor cycling!

We’ve found another great motivator for our training this summer – the two fabulous bike trails just a short ride from our house in Sudbury! The Bruce Freeman Rail Trail takes us 21.5 miles north, and the Central Mass Rail Trail runs 4 miles through Sudbury to Hudson. Both trails run through beautiful protected conservation areas.

Safety Equipment:  For added safety, especially when riding on the streets, we’ve equipped our bikes with Garmin Cycling Rearview Radar mounted on the back of our bike saddles. It uses a Bluetooth connection with our handlebar mounted Garmin speedometers to alert us to moving vehicles approaching from behind. We also have helmet-to-helmet radio communications so that we can talk to each other. But, honestly, nothing beats your eyes and ears for staying safe on a bike.

Fundraising:. In 2011, I did the breast cancer walk in Harvard, MA. The ask was $1,000. I sent a physical letter to friends and family and was surprised at how receptive they were. Now, for the Ride for Food, I just send emails and do a little social media posting. I also have a lawn sign in front of my house. It’s interesting and rewarding to realize how much people want to give and help this most worthy cause. It’s important to note and celebrate the positives these days. There’s a lot of good going on out there!