Why Support Tour de Barnert?
Download the Tour de Barnert Event Flyer
Tour de Barnert is a fun and easy way to support our school and uphold two core values of Judaism:
tzedakah (charity) and
tikkun olam (repairing the world). In addition to supporting our wonderful preschool and its programs, a percentage of the proceeds from Tour de Barnert will go to the
Butterflies Program, a special program offered through Valley Home Care that provides home-based pediatric palliative care and hospice to children diagnosed with a variety of progressive, life-threatening diseases.
This is a great event that promotes children helping children!
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Who Can Participate?
This event is open to all preschoolers and kindergartners of Barnert Temple families. This includes children and grandchildren of Barnert Temple members who are not enrolled in the Barnert Temple Preschool, as well as siblings of Barnert Temple Preschool children who meet the grade requirement. We will also have a separate riding area for our really young participants and activities for siblings who may be too old to ride. So, make it a family event!
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How Do I Register My Child(ren) and Participate in Tour de Barnert?
Dowload a Pledge/Registration Form
Participating in Tour de Barnert is as easy as 1 - 2 - 3!
- Get excited about riding a tricycle/big wheel, having fun to help children in our community, and supporting our school!
- Collect pledges by reaching out to family and friends. Pledges can be returned on or prior to the day of the event.
- Show up on April 25th and get ready to ride and have fun! Bring your helmet (required), three-wheeled riding vehicle (tricycle, big wheel, bike with training wheels – no two-wheeled bikes allowed), and pledges with you. Money and forms can be turned in at the registration table. Each participant will receive a free event t-shirt, goodie bag and directions to enjoy the morning.
To register, simply complete the
Tour de Barnert pledge form and return it, along with your pledges on or before the day of the event. Pledge forms and packets will be distributed to Barnert Temple Preschool families in early March. Others who would like to participate in this special event can click here to download copies of the Tour de Barnert pledge form (coming soon).
There is no registration fee to participate, but a minimum pledge level is requested. We are asking each family to raise a minimum of $50/first child and $25/each additional child participating. Incentive prizes will be awarded for reaching various pledge levels and a grand prize (to be announced) will be awarded to the family that raises the most funds.
(Note:To respect the privacy of our participants, details regarding total pledge amounts raised by families or prizes awarded to families will not be made public.)
All pledge forms and monies collected should be brought to Barnert Temple on April 25th or returned to the BTPPA mailbox outside of the Barnert Temple Preschool office prior to the event.
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How and When Do I Turn in my Pledges?
Dowload a Pledge/Registration Form
All pledge forms and money collected should be brought to Barnert Temple on April 25th or returned to the Barnert Temple Preschool Parents' Association (BTPPA) mailbox outside of the Barnert Temple Preschool office.
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Tour de Barnert Beneficiaries
Barnert Temple Preschool - 20 Years of Proven Success
For over 20 years, Barnert Temple Preschool, located in Franklin Lakes, NJ, has been instilling children with a love of learning, and guiding youngsters to develop a sense of awareness about the community and world around us. This means teaching more than academics. It means modeling behavior and supporting programs that teach tzedakah (charity) and tikkun olam (repairing the world).
Social action is a core component of our curriculum. Over the years, Barnert Temple Preschool’s social action efforts have supported both local, national and global causes, including: Heifer International, Pennies for Peace, CUMAC, The Center for Food Action, Oasis-A Haven for Women and Children, victims of hurricane Katrina, and Haiti’s earthquake victims, just to name a few. Our social action efforts always aim to actively involve our kids so they gain a tangible understanding of their efforts. This year’s Tour de Barnert fundraiser is just another example of how we engage our children in the act of helping others. Participants will be riding trikes to raise money for Barnert Temple Preschool programs as well as The Butterflies Program, a local program selected by our Preschool families (see below for details).
The Butterflies Program (Valley Home Care)
Butterflies, a special program offered through Valley Home Care, provides home-based pediatric palliative care and hospice to children diagnosed with a variety of progressive, life-threatening diseases. It provides services to treat the children and support their families during the most difficult period in their lives.
The
Butterflies Program seeks to:
- Enhance the quality of life for the child throughout his or her illness
- Establish a collaborative link between all persons providing care to the child
- Facilitate pain control and symptom management
- Provide home-based care wherever possible
- Evaluate services and implement measures, as needed, to maximize program effectiveness
- Support the family and provide specialized bereavement services for parents and siblings following the death of the child
For a patient on
Butterflies, the average cost per child can exceed $20,000. There are very few hospices in New Jersey that provide ongoing, home-based care to terminally ill children and their families.
Butterflies fills this huge void. Visit Valley Health System's website to learn more about
Valley Home Care and
The Butterflies Program.
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Sponsorship and Donor Opportunities
Download the Tour de Barnert Sponsor/Donor Guide
"Children Helping Children." This is the Barnert Temple Preschool Way.
Barnert Temple Preschool's social action efforts always aim to actively involve our kids so they gain a tangible understanding of their efforts. This year’s Tour de Barnert fundraiser is just another example of how we engage our children in the act of helping others.
Monies raised from the Tour de Barnert event will go to
Barnert Temple Preschool as well as Valley Home Care's
Butterflies Program. Most businesses engage in some level of charitable giving, and we hope you will consider Tour de Barnert as part of your charitable giving this year. There are a variety of sponsorship levels for this event as well as opportunities to donate goods/services. Our Sponsor/Donor Guide (coming soon)contains details on the different ways your business can support this effort. We look forward to working with you!
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can children who do not attend Barnert Temple Preschool participate in Tour de Barnert?
Any child affiliated with a Barnert Temple family can participate. For example, if you are a member of Barnert Temple and have a child/grandchild who meets they age requirement, that child can participate. However, the event is not open to the general public.
Can children older than kindergarteners participate?
No. Only children in kindergarten or preschool can participate (approximately 12 months – 6 years).
What if some of my children can participate but others can’t because they are too old? Can they still come to the event?
Yes. Older siblings are welcome to come and cheer their younger siblings on as they ride. They can also enjoy the music, arts & crafts, etc. If you have a pre-teen/teen who would like to volunteer at the event, that would be wonderful, too. Contact
Nicole Breen about volunteering.
I have a really young child who won’t be able to ride laps on the track. How can s/he participate in Tour de Barnert?
There will be a separate riding area for our younger riders so they can pedal around at a pace that works for them.
Do we need to bring our own trikes/big/wheels and helmets?
Yes. Children need to bring a riding vehicle – tricycle, big wheel, bike with training wheels – and a helmet.
NO CHILD WILL BE ALLOWED TO RIDE WITHOUT A HELMET.
My child can ride a two wheeler. Can s/he ride a two wheeler at Tour de Barnert?
No. To keep things at a safe and manageable pace for the majority of kindergarten and preschool riders, we are limiting this event to three-wheeled vehicles.
Will participants be expected to ride their trikes during the entire event?
No. When children aren’t riding, there will be stations for arts & crafts, tattoos, and face painting. Light snacks will also be sold at the event so families can take a break and grab a healthy bite to eat.
When do I have to turn in my pledges?
Pledges can be turned in prior to or on the day of the event. However, all forms and pledges must be turned in by April 25th to participate.
What other activities will there be at the event?
In addition to the trike track, there will be stations for arts & crafts, tattoos, face painting and food.
What should my child wear the day of the event?
If the weather cooperates, the Tour de Barnert will be held outside, so children should dress properly for safe bike riding outdoors. Athletic shoes and pants/shorts are recommended. In the event or rain, the event will be moved indoors. However, children should still be dressed appropriately for riding trikes.
What if it rains on April 25th?
We hope that the April showers will be long gone by April 25th. However, in the event of rain, the Tour de Barnert will be held indoors at Barnert Temple.
How was the Butterflies Program selected as the outside charity for Tour de Barnert? The BTPPA’s goal was to identify an organization/program that was local; served children and families; and would excite our families. A list of possible organizations was reviewed, and Barnert Temple Preschool families were then asked to pick their top choice. The Butterflies Program won the vote by a large margin.
How will the money raised from Tour de Barnert be shared between Barnert Temple Preschool and the Butterflies Program?
The Tour de Barnert planning committee has identified a minimum amount it would like to donate to the Butterflies Program. Money raised beyond this will be shared between the Barnert Temple Preschool and the Butterflies Program. The final % split will depend on the total raised from the event.
Can I specify how my donation should be split between Barnert Temple Preschool and the Butterflies Program?
Yes. If you feel strongly about how your donation should be split between our two beneficiaries, you can specify your desired split in the memo line of your check or attach a note to your pledge form and envelope.
Why are you asking for a minimum pledge amount from families?
Setting a requested minimum pledge amount is very typical for events like Tour de Barnert (i.e., walk-a-thons, bike-a-thons). Tour de Barnert is a fundraiser, and there is a target fundraising goal the planning committee is hoping to reach. In order to cover the event costs, raise funds and hopefully meet the fundraising goal, the committee set a minimum requested total pledge amount for each child.
Will people know how much money my family raises in pledges?
No. The amount of money raised by each family will not be made public.
Will people know which families have earned incentive prizes?
No. Only the individuals on the Tour de Barnert planning committee who are responsible for ordering and distributing the incentive prizes will know which families earned prizes. If your family earns an incentive prize based on the total level of pledges raised, you will be contacted directly about receiving your prize.
Can my family make a donation even if our child(ren) can’t participate in the event?
Absolutely! Checks (payable to Barnert Temple; Tour de Barnert in memo line) should be mailed to Barnert Temple Preschool, Attn: Tour de Barnert, 747 Route 208 South, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417.
How can I participate on the day of the event?
We will need volunteers on the day of the event to man the various stations – trike track, arts and crafts, concessions, raffles, registration, kiddie track, prize station. If you can volunteer your time on April 25th, please contact
Nicole Breen.
Approximately how many children are expected to participate in the event?
We would love to see every child from Barnert Temple Preschool attend in addition to many Barnert Temple children not enrolled in our preschool! However, given the many demands on schedules, we are assuming somewhere between 50-75 children will participate. Feel free to make us eat our words and bring the participant figures closer to 100 kids!
I still have questions. Who do I contact?
You can contact any member of the Barnert Temple Preschool Parents Association (BTPPA) Board. Names and emails are listed below. You can also send your question to
info@tourdebarnert.com.
BTPPA Board Members
Rebecca Rund at
rcrund@yahoo.com
Mary Rosenberg at
mary.rosenberg@bilapartners.com
Deb Tomaskovic at
endtomo@optonline.net
Nicole Breen at
peteandnicole@optonline.net
Michelle Wickwire at
mwickwire@gmail.com
Tour de Barnert Mailbox at
info@tourdebarnert.com
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