1st Annual Climb for Harlem Academy
Harlem, New York, NY – June 18, 2006 – 110 miles, 50 riders, 30 volunteers, 12 first and second graders cheering you up the mountain, 1 great party to celebrate the hard work, and $55,000+ in scholarship funds!@##=#<1,R>@##=#
The inaugural Climb for Harlem Academy will start at exactly 6:00 AM in Pelham, NY on June 18, 2006. Volunteers for Harlem Academy will provide refreshments before the ride and official jerseys will be handed out to the riders. The highlight of the 110 miles from Pelham to Bear Mountain and back will be the welcoming reception at the summit given by students and volunteers for you! A party with plenty of food, beer, swimming, and live entertainment will top off the day. Riders’ spouses and partners are welcome, and maybe even a few kids (it will be Father’s Day, after all.)
Corporate sponsors include Van Wagner, Rafael Vinoly Architects and Turner Construction. 100% of the donations raised for the Climb go to benefit the students of Harlem Academy. Harlem Academy is an independent school in Harlem founded to give underserved children the opportunity and preparation to succeed in top secondary schools and colleges. Harlem Academy, founded in 2004 currently serves students in 1st and 2nd grades eventually growing to a K-8 school by adding at least one grade every year.
Harlem Academy prepares talented students by providing a rigorous academic curriculum and program based in character development. Parent partnership and sliding scale tuition are hallmarks of Harlem Academy. No child is ever turned away because of his/ her family’s inability to pay.
@##=#<2,L>@##=#This inaugural ride will also launch the celebration of the school’s new name. Harlem Academy was originally known as Harlem Episcopal School, named in part for the local Episcopal Church that incubated the school in its founding year. The Board of Trustees voted to change the name to Harlem Academy in recognition of the school’s support of all faith traditions and is waiting for final approval of the new name this spring. We are very excited about introducing the new name at the Climb on June 18th!
Founder and Head of School, Vincent Dotoli, remarks, “We have come so far in the last two years; this inaugural Climb will help Harlem Academy meet the incredible demand for superior education in upper Manhattan. We have made a difference, but there is so much more to do. The Climb for Harlem Academy has the potential to provide numerous scholarships and opportunities for our students, children whose potential may otherwise go unrealized.â€
Become part of the success story that is Harlem Academy. Interested riders and supporters please contact Susan Johnson, Development Director, at 212.348.2600 or sjohnson@heschool.org for details or go to the Website www.heschool.org
i’d love to do this ride but its the same day as the harlem crit and housatonic. sounds like a great cause, just wish it were on a different day. good luck
So why are they starting at Pelham?
Have them start at the race in Mt Morris, and
make a big similtaineous event out of it…
Hell have the whole race go to Bear and back
you will probably have less crashes, and it will only take six hours.
Thank you for your comments and interest. We are starting in Pelham becasue to start and end at the School and have a celebration logistically would be impossible. However, we hope to start and end in Harlem next year! Mt. Morris is a great idea. Thanks!
1) It’s starting and ending in Pelham because we need a venue where we could have a big party afterwards with food, a pool, etc.
2) It’s not a race, it’s a fundraiser for the school; every rider has to raise $1100, or $10 per mile on the 110 mile roundtrip.
3) The whole event will be friendly and fun – with some competition on the mountain, of course, but mostly at an easy pace.
4) The event is loosely modeled on the Pan Mass Challenge, which is a wildly successful fundraiser BECAUSE the riders love it.