by: Sara Chovan
Welcome to a new school year! For families who are new to the school, information about the events and festivals can be really important. The Parent Association aims to be a resource to families who want more detail about school-wide events and student – centered festivities.
City of Lakes celebrates our community and raises funds for our school every year with our Bike-A-Thon. On October 3rd at 10 am, students and their parents gather on their bikes at the Lake Harriet Bandshell to bike around the lake. The Bike-A-Thon (often abbreviated to BAT) runs until 1 pm, and is a great opportunity for families to mingle, for classmates to enjoy a Saturday together, and for the larger community to get acquainted with City of Lakes Waldorf School.
The Bike-A-Thon is an all-school fundraiser. The school depends on donations during this event to fund important programming at the school. You will receive a Booklet with helpful forms, letters and information regarding fund-raising for the BAT.
When you get to the event, check in at the registration tables on the stage. These tables allow you to drop off the funds you have raised (or the pledges you have solicited), and to get a racing number for your student. Every student is encouraged to ride and take part in the morning, there is no minimum or maximum required for attending the Bike-A-Thon.
There are two pay parking lots at the Lake Harriet Bandshell where we hold this event. You are also invited to park along the street. Although most families strive to get to the BAT by 10:00 in order to be part of the grand send-off, the event itself has an “open house” feel. Come when you can, bike as long as you want to, and leave when you need to.
Bring your reusable mug because there is a simple offering of coffee, hot chocolate and also some treats at the Bandshell. Special thanks to our friends at Pat’s Tap for the tasty refreshments this year and to Bread & Pickle for providing the hot beverages! As the students bike around the lake at varying levels of intensity, there are two lemonade stands along the bike path to ensure a safe place to stop, take a rest, and get some energy to get around the lake.
Younger grades students often ride around the lake with an adult in their family. There is a smaller mini-lap available for students in early childhood as well as the younger students who are not as confident riding a bike yet. It is quite a moment when your older child informs you that she will be riding around the lake on her own with her friends! There are so many people going around the lake at the same time that for these older students it is a secure ride.
This event is so fun! There is a great energy and it is such a positive way to support the school. It can not happen without the help of volunteers. Our “Volunteerspot” sign up allows you to find a place to volunteer that will best suit your family and the time commitments you have for the rest of the day. We need people as early as 8:30 am to transport items from the school to the bandshell. We need people to help set up the event between 8:30-10:00 am. We need people to serve lemonade and we need people to handle the registration tables. By volunteering you are helping this great event be a success, but you are also getting a chance to learn more about how our school operates. Some of the most informative conversations happen when volunteers are working together at an event!!
Please consider signing up for a volunteer slot. Everything you will need to know about any task at the Bike-A-Thon can be taught in under two minutes – and many hands make light work.
Can’t wait to see you there!
Sara Chovan