Team Newtown Organizing

For Harvest Rides 2003

It takes a community to make wishes come true for seriously ill children, and First Selectman Herb Rosenthal is encouraging Newtown residents to take up the cause.

Mr Rosenthal recently announced the formation of “Team Newtown” for Harvest Rides 2003, a fundraiser for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Connecticut. Presented by the Sound Cyclists Bicycle Club of Fairfield County, the September 14 bike tour begins at Luciano Park in Westport between 7:30 and 10 am.

Cyclists of all ages and skill levels will enjoy the leisurely paced, 20-mile “Family Ride,” with 75-kilometer, 100-kilometer, and 100-mile routes available for more advanced participants. Breakfast and a picnic lunch will be served before and after the event, with water, food stops, and safety assistance vehicles provided along all routes. Riders who raise at least $50 in addition to the $35 preregistration fee ($50 after September 7) also have the chance to win special prizes donated by local merchants and corporations.

To qualify for Team Newtown, town residents need only a bike, a helmet, and the desire to brighten the lives of seriously ill children in southwestern Connecticut.

“By supporting Harvest Rides 2003, Newtown residents help the Make-A-Wish Foundation grant wishes to children for whom hospitalizations, medical treatments, and visits to the doctor have become a way of life,” said Debbie Horne, development coordinator for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Connecticut. “On behalf of all our ‘Wish Kids,’ we thank Newtown First Selectman Herb Rosenthal and the Sound Cyclists Bicycle Club for taking the lead in the success of this fundraising event.”

“Harvest Rides 2003 offers local riders a great cycling experience while helping an important cause,” said Emil Albanese, president of the Sound Cyclists Bicycle Club. “We urge Newtown residents to join the more than 1,500 Sound Cyclists who will ride that day in support of making wishes come true.”

As with all rides sponsored by the Sound Cyclists Bicycle Club, cyclists are required to wear ANSI- or SNELL-approved helmets at all times and obey all traffic laws. Maps and cue sheets will be provided at this rain-or-shine event.

Cyclists may register for Harvest Rides 2003 online by logging on to www.soundcyclists.com, or by calling 877-203-WISH.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Connecticut was established in 1986, and expects to fulfill its 1,000th wish to a Connecticut child this year. Based in Trumbull, the chapter relies 100 percent on donor dollars and dedicates 85 cents of every dollar contributed to its program services. For more information, call 877-203-WISH or email conn@wish.org.