Sixth Annual ‘Tour de Fort Lee’ To Raise Money For Local School Kids

Fort Lee residents will have the opportunity to “tour” the borough by bicycle or on foot Sunday as the Fort Lee Education Foundation once again sponsors the annual "Tour de Fort Lee."

Foundation president Tony Clores says the event—now in its sixth year—provides support for programs in all six of Fort Lee’s public schools, noting that the foundation “is committed to providing educational opportunities for the children of Fort Lee by supporting innovative programs and services not addressed by public funding.”

Clores told Patch what participants can expect on Sunday, starting with the event’s main attraction.

“We do a 12-mile ride through town,” Clores said. “We start off at the , and we do two loops. We go from the community center up to the Coytesville section, down to Columbia Ave. and then back again.”

Bikers then complete another loop on the course for a total of 12 miles. The 2011 edition of the Tour marks the third year that participants can choose to walk instead of ride a bike.

“We do a two-mile walk on Abbott Blvd.,” Clores said. “It goes to Route 5, up to Riverdale Dr., turn around, and do that twice; that gives us the two miles. Basically that’s great for kids and all the people who can’t ride a bike, and it works out very well.”

Clores added that it can be challenging to plot a 12-mile course in a town the size of Fort Lee, but it’s not impossible with a little help from the local authorities.

“It’s hard to do it in town,” he said. “We’re going through smaller streets, but we do go up Palisade Ave., down Linwood Ave. and up Anderson Ave. It’s pretty well patrolled by the policemen. We have police on bicycles.”

Two years ago, the Fort Lee Education Foundation raised nearly $24,000 from the Tour de Fort Lee, attracting more than 135 bike riders and walkers of all ages.

All proceeds raised from the Tour de Fort Lee help fund the Fort Lee Education Foundation’s “mini-grant program,” providing funding for projects and activities that “enhance the educational opportunities and curriculum” for Fort Lee students of all grade levels.

Included among the foundation’s many grants and scholarships are two annual scholarships to Fort Lee High School graduating seniors, Arts and Culture and Math and Science project grants ranging from $500 to $1,600 to clubs and programs at all six Fort Lee schools and many other special project- or program-specific grants.

Clores said coffee, bagels and fruit will be served on the day of the event, and that the foundation also has plenty of prizes to give away to everyone who takes part.

“They get a ticket,” he said. “We have some nice prizes. We have tickets for Broadway shows. All of that’s inclusive in the riding. We also have the 50/50 raffle that whatever’s taken in is divided strictly in half, and it’s disbursed that day.”

Clores said organizers are keeping their fingers crossed that the weather cooperates and this year’s Tour de Fort Lee turns out to be another successful one, and a true community event.

“If we get a beautiful day, it’s really a nice day out,” he said. “The mayor is going to be a part of it, as he is every year, [along with Fort Lee Councilmen Harvey Sohmer], who sits on our board of directors. It’s really a nice town event.”

The Sixth Annual Tour de Fort Lee is Sunday. Registration starts at 7:30 a.m. at the Fort Lee Community Center, and the event begins at 9 a.m. rain or shine. For more information, visit the Fort Lee Education Foundation online.