Bergen Bike Tour Registration Open

Registration is now open for the 17th Annual Bergen Bike Tour, a family-oriented event that benefits the Volunteer Center of Bergen County and Tomorrows Children’s Fund. 

The Bergen Bike Tour will be held on Sunday, September 30 and will feature 10, 25 and 50 mile routes for cyclists of every level. The tour begins and ends at in Mahwah, and features breakfast for all the riders, a post-ride barbeque, music, games and prizes.

There is also a Kids’ Event sponsored by TD Bank, which includes a ride for kids 10 and under, as well as clowns, fire trucks, face painting, crafts and games. The Kids’ Event is free and children are invited to bring their  bikes, trikes, scooters and big wheels.

Riders can pre-register in one of three way:

1. Register online at www.bergenbiketour.org
2. Download and print a registration form at www.bergenbiketour.org and submit by mail
3. Call 1-877-BER-BIKE.   

All registered riders who raise $100 or more will receive a free Bergen Bike Tour t-shirt and are eligible to win prizes up to $1,000 in value.  Every registered rider will receive 5 silicone Bergen Bike Tour bracelets to give as a thank you to friends and family who support their ride with a donation to the Bergen Bike Tour.

Sponsors are welcome for this unique event, which draws about 400 participants each year. Major sponsors for 2012 include Diamond sponsor JDD Alderisio and Kids’ Event sponsor TD Bank. Platinum sponsors are:  (201) Family, Amica Insurance, Apax Partners, Inserra Shop Rite Supermarkets, Jamis Bicycles, Lakeland Bank, Oritani Bank Charitable Foundation, PNC Bank, Sanzari Companies, Stop and Shop, Synetek Solutions and Tanis & Sons. 

“Each year, the Bergen Bike Tour turns over an average of 80 percent of the event’s proceeds to the Volunteer Center and Tomorrow’s Children”, says Phil Murphy, chairman of the event. “This is a rate that far surpasses many events of this kind, and we are very proud of our philanthropic efficiency. We are optimistic that with corporate and community help and participation, we can exceed that in 2012. Mark your calendars for Sunday, September 30.”

“Difficult economic times have really hit our benefiting charities hard,” continues Murphy. “The programs and services they provide to children, the elderly, people with disabilities and families in crisis are in jeopardy, unless we find community minded sponsors, and encourage generous donors to support the efforts of our riders.”

Tomorrows Children’s Fund was established by loving parents seeking help and relief for their desperately ill children, in association with physicians committed to providing the best possible care.  The Fund addresses the critical needs of families facing the anguish of childhood cancer by providing a warm, healthy and loving atmosphere for children in treatment; a wide range of services to relieve emotional and financial stress; state-of-the-art medical care; and funding for research on childhood cancer and serious blood disorders.

The Volunteer Center of Bergen County works with more than 600 public and private non-profit agencies in and near Bergen County that value and need the services of volunteers.  The Volunteer Center links individuals, groups, organizations and corporations with rewarding volunteer opportunities that fit their interests, abilities, schedules and locations, while allowing them to make a difference in the community by addressing serious social concerns such as hunger, literacy, poverty, and the needs of children, the elderly and disabled. 

The Volunteer Center operates a and disabled, which in 2011 served 1,600 clients and performed over 4,000  repairs, at no cost to the clients, except for parts used. The Volunteer Center also sponsors two mentoring programs in which caring adults are friends, role models and mentors to abused children, ,and parents in need of guidance and support. Last year, ­­­­over 300  children and adults participating in these programs were helped by mentors.

Sponsorship opportunities begin at $500 and up. Corporate sponsors at the level of $1,000 or more includes registration of an unlimited number of employees at no extra charge. All riders age 16 and up are expected to enlist support of at least $100 for individuals or $200 for families.  Prizes will be awarded for top fundraisers.

For further information about corporate sponsorship or organizing a group to participate in the Bike Tour, call 877-BER-BIKE, or check out the website at www.bergenbiketour.org.

The above is a release from the Volunteer Center of Bergen County.

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