Raise Funds For Toms River Schools' Clubs, Sports At 5K

TOMS RIVER, NJ — If you're looking for a way to burn off some of the candied sweet potatoes or pumpkin pie you eat on Thanksgiving, the Toms River Education Foundation has just the solution: take part in its first 5K race.

The Toms River Education Foundation was created earlier this year in response to the continued pressure that state school funding cuts are creating for the Toms River Regional School District — pressure that has put school officials in the position of having to consider cutting out extracurricular activities.

Toms River Councilman Terrance Turnbach, who proposed the foundation in May, has had assistance from Toms River school board member Jennifer Howe and others who have joined its board.

"We are here to raise money for all student activities," the foundation, which has a pending application in with the IRS for 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, says on its Facebook page.

The 5K is set for Saturday afternoon in downtown Toms River, and includes a kiddie dash, a 1-mile fun run and you can run or walk in the 5K. You can go here to register online or register in person on race day at 101 Washington St. The entry fee is $25.

There are awards for the top three finishers in the 5K run and there is a post-race pasta party at Capone's restaurant and activities at other downtown businesses.

In-person registration starts at 12:45 p.m. Saturday, and the races begin with the kiddie dash at 2:45 p.m. The 5K goes off at 3:30 p.m. For additional information email tomsrivereducationfoundation@gmail.com or call Jennifer Howe at 732-691-6475.

The district faced a $5 million cut in state aid for the 2020-2021 school year under S2, the law that mandates aid cuts for districts seen as "overaided" by the state. At the same time, it requires districts that are spending less than what the state Department of Education says is necessary for a "thorough and efficient education," as required under the New Jersey constitution, to raise their property tax levy by 2 percent. Toms River falls into that category, and is required to increase the school district's property tax levy.

That 2 percent increase, however, is not sufficient to close the gap for "thorough and efficient" and the amount of aid lost by districts that are subject to the state's cuts.

Last year, Toms River schools officials laid out the dangers the cuts posed in an effort to rally parents and the community to help them fight the cuts, and in the meantime looked for solutions to protect sports and clubs. Pay-to-play was discussed, but was not seen as a viable option because so many of the district's students come from low-income homes.

Turnbach proposed the foundation in May, in part to ensure "extracurricular school-based programs may still be available to all students, regardless of financial ability to participate," the foundation notes.

The foundation's board is all volunteers and all proceeds raise by the foundation will go to support extracurricular programs in the district.

"The Toms River Education Foundation believes that our students' participation in extra-curricular school based programs will help foster overall academic excellence while instilling important life qualities such as leadership, team-building, self-confidence and respect for each other," the foundation's Facebook page notes. "The goal and purpose of the Toms River Education Foundation is to secure resources from individuals, corporations, government entities and other foundations to insure that all Toms River Regional School District students have both access and the ability to participate in extra-curricular school based programs."

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