Team Newark is an idea of the Harbourton Foundation, a family foundation based in New Jersey, in partnership with the City of Newark’s Mayor’s office. Recruiting and harnessing the enthusiasm of Newark and Essex County cyclists, Team Newark will enter the Race Across America, one of cycling’s most grueling endurance events, in September 2010. Team Newark will strive to symbolize the importance of building community from the inside out, from the health of the individual to the health of their community.
The effort’s intent is twofold. On the one hand it will be a fundraising event to initiate the creation of a junior development cycling team for the residents of Newark, reinvigorating a bike and racing culture that once flourished in early 20th Century Newark. To accomplish this we will collaborate with the mayor’s office and existing organizations, leveraging their regional expertise with our fitness and training knowledge and fundraising connections. On the other hand it will be an effort to raise awareness of the importance of a healthy lifestyle. The project was born of the idea that healthy individuals create healthy communities.
A projected cost of $40,000-50,000 with a maximum cost of $75,000 will train, equip, and transport Team Newark to compete in the Race Across America. Other associated costs will be for marketing and fundraising, including health awareness days held throughout the training year in Newark, the Tour de Newark, a bike ride through the city stopping at historic places and led by Team Newark riders, an event and spin-a-thon during the race week, merchandising, and a documentary of the training and racing of Team Newark that highlights the relationship between the effort and the city of Newark. Harbourton will underwrite all the above costs. We will achieve our goals through Harbourton’s expertise in fitness, training, and cycling, and its vast network of regional business and political fundraising connections.
There are countless events in which teams and individuals honorably persevere in the noble pursuit of the cure for one disease or another; we, however, want to train riders from Newark and Essex County to compete for and engage with a community. We believe the more interest people cultivate in their own health the more interest they will have for the health of their neighborhood, their community, their city, and the world. Through the perseverance of the racers and direct involvement with the residents of Newark we will act on our dedication to a flourishing future for the city of Newark.