Youth to be remembered through charity bike ride Timmy's Tour de Shore Oct. 7; registration day at shopping center Aug. 25 BY DAN NEWMAN Staff Writer Timothy Pauxtis MIDDLETOWN - At 10 years old, Timothy Pauxtis was like most kids his age, enjoying riding his bike after school and making the occasional trip to the beach. But he was also unlike those his age in that he was overtaken by an inoperable brain tumor, and eventually succumbed to it on April 11, 2006. To honor his memory, friends and family have decided to create Timmy's Tour de Shore, a 23-mile bike ride from Sandy Hook to Seven Presidents Park in Long Branch and back. The ride will take place on Oct. 7 at 8:30 a.m., with check-in for the event starting at an hour earlier. There will also be a two-mile family fun ride starting at 10 a.m. Timmy's Tour de Shore is being presented by the Children's Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center. The event was started because of Timmy's love of biking and going to the beach. "We thought there was really no better thing to do than to have an event to honor my son that involved those two things," Susan Pauxtis said. "The state police are going to escort the riders the whole way down Ocean Avenue to Long Branch and back, so that'll be great. Hopefully, it'll be a nice day for everybody involved." Event Director Sue Griffin said that even though this is the inaugural year of the tour, she is looking forward to a good turnout. "We're hoping for as many as possible. The registration fee is only $30 and we really want to get the word out about the event," Griffin said. A registration day will be held on Aug. 25 at the Whole Foods Market and Blue Tulip stores, both located in the Chapel Hill shopping center on Route 35 in Middletown. Blue Tulip will be donating 15 percent of any purchase made on registration day to the Timothy Pauxtis Foundation. Besides having fun, there are two other goals for the event: One, to raise funds to create a research grant for the Pediatric Neuro Oncology Research Department at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; and of course, to remember a young person who meant so much to so many. "Timmy really was a great kid and he shined so brightly," Griffin said. Over a year after his passing, Susan Pauxtis is still amazed that so many people want to remember the life her son lived. "It's a great feeling to have so many wanting to help out with this event," she said. "The amount of support we have received ever since Timmy passed, it really has been incredible." For more information on Timmy's Tour de Shore and the Timothy Pauxtis Foundation, visit www.tourdeshore.org.