The Last Gasp: Four Realtors Bike For Charities

by Courtney Alex 

            “May the hills become dales and the valleys come to you as you pedal,” wrote a  donor to Phyllis Nickerson Power’s bid to complete the Last Gasp bike ride.  In the real estate agent’s desk, she has a huge file of cards, poems and pictures that people sent her to raise money for the 17th annual fundraiser.  

From left: Tom Jones, Bob Oliver, Phyllis Nickerson Power and Tom Patton show their champion sides before the event.

          The Last Gasp Bike, Boat ‘n Bake is a 62-mile bike ride on Sept. 14 starting in Sandwich and ending in Provincetown, all to raise money for local charities including the Cape and Islands United Way, Cape Cod Child Development, Champ Homes, the Cultural Center of Cape Cod, Hospice and Palliative Care of Cape Cod and Kiwanis Clubs of Hyannis and Sandwich. 

            Power will be joined on her trek by Tom Patton, Bob Oliver and Tom Jones, all fellow real estate agents at Kinlin Grover GMAC Realty.  According to Patton, there are about 225 participants.  The bikers are given six hours to reach the destination, where they board the boat “Big Red” to cruise them back up to Sandwich for a clambake at the American Legion Hall.  This will be Patton’s ninth year biking in the fundraiser. 

            “He’s multiplied exponentially by inspiring the three of us,” said Nickerson Power.

            For Oliver, Jones and Nickerson Power, this will be their first year.  Though inspired by Patton, who learned about the fundraiser from a summer resident many years ago, they all have different motives pushing them to do the race. 

            Jones is participating partially in honor of his father, who died at Jones’ age.  He wants to do it to get in shape and be able to continue to bike when the event is over.

            “It’s a way to better my health,” said Jones, “as well as to raise money for a good cause.”

            Nickerson Power is doing it to raise money for the various charities as well as to better her health.  She has been blessed with great health her whole life until she had a bout of Lyme disease and injured her knee. 

            Oliver wanted to find someway to raise money for Champ Homes, and this is its largest fundraiser. 

            As for Patton, he likes it all: staying in shape, raising money and meeting great people every year. 

            “I feel like I’m helping myself,” said Patton.

            The group has been training since June, sometime riding up to 40 miles a day.  Jones thinks they’ll ride at least 500 miles before the race.  They are grateful to have the bike trail to practice on.

            “I can’t say enough about the Cape Cod Rail Trail,” said Patton.

            The group of real estate agents, who are all over the age of 50, sent out letters to friends, family members and clients in hopes of raising money for the charities.  One hundred percent of the donations go to the charities.  Last year $239,900 was raised.  Nickerson Power was shocked by the donations that were made.  She has raised $3,500 so far and has received donations ranging from $20 to $1,000. 

            “Any amount counts,” said Patton. 

            Oliver has raised over $1,000.  If a rider raises over $1,000, they have the honor of being on the “Big Wheels” list.    

            One of Nickerson Power’s donors sent in a quote from Charles Swindoll.  One part of the quote reads, “The only thing we can do is play on the string we have and that is our attitude…I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it.  And so it is with you…we are in charge of our attitudes.”

            The four real estate agents have the perfect attitudes as they joke about their faces being on a Wheaties box. 

            “You’ve got to have fun doing this because it is really hard work,” said Jones.

            For more information on the event, visit www.thelastgasp.com.  To send a donation to the real estate agents, make a check payable to The Last Gasp and include one of the riders’ names so they get credit.  Send donations to Kinlin Grover GMAC Real Estate, 856 Main St., Chatham, 02633.  Donations can be taken even after the event.