Local charity Fall Foliage bike ride raises more than $20,000

New Windsor — The 17th annual Fall Foliage Bike Tour for McQuade Children’s Services, held on Oct. 8, raised more than $20,000 for the New Windsor based non-profit organization, which helps 2,000 special needs children a year. “We are thrilled that the bicycle ride is as successful as ever,” said PR Director Judy Williams. From the Brotherhood Winery, 500 participants embarked on 10-50 mile scenic routes in the Washingtonville, Cornwall and West Point areas. Loughran’s Restaurant donated and catered the post-ride barbecue at the winery. McQuade shared a portion of the proceeds with Orange Pathways, the non-profit that oversees the Heritage Bike Trail in Orange County. In return, Pathways coordinated the route signage, road marshals and town police involvement. “We will be using our share toward the completion of our Kaplan Aquatic Center,” said Williams. The new swimming pool for students in McQuade’s residential and Kaplan School day treatment programs will be opening for summer 2007. Blooming Grove United Methodist Church hosted a snack stop along one of the routes, and three other roadside snack bars and lunch service were manned by McQuade children and staff members. McQuade board members handled registration. Bryan’s Bikes of Cornwall contributed door prizes and was on hand to give quick bike fixes. Sportsplex did free body fat and blood pressure checks and cyclists sampled Clif Bars, Red Bull energy drink and Green Mountain Coffee. First time participants Rebecca White and her son Danny, of Highland Mills, e-mailed: “We had a great ride today. Being amateur riders, I was surprised we were able to complete the 50 mile course. The weather was great, the tour was well organized, enjoyable, and I felt safe.” Vista sponsor of the event was Provident Bank, Century sponsor was Orange & Rockland Utilities and Half-Century sponsors were the Pharmacists Society of Orange County and Stanley Marks & Company. Sponsors were Advance Testing Company, All State Distributors, Anthony’s Pier 9 Catering, Barnaby Prints, Collection Bureau of the Hudson Valley, Gerbes & Gerbes Re-max Benchmark Realty, Heights Lumber Center, Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union, Independent Telecommunications, Marangi Disposal, Micro Technical Services, Nugent & Haeussler, PIP Printing, Rose & Kiernan, Royal Foods, Sportsplex, Thomas P. Stein DDS & Associates, Time Warner Cable, Top Job Professional Carpet Cleaning, Toyota Financial Services, Val-U- Office Products, WHJ Plumbing & Heating, Walden Savings Bank and Wallkill Valley Federal Savings & Loan. The ride was featured in key bicycling Web sites, magazines and in local tourism guides. For more information about McQuade or the Bike Tour, call Judy Williams at 845-561-0436. Corporate team riders are now being sought for 2007.