Hello fellows
Our “Bike the Park” event on Sunday was another successful event for our
club. It was successful in many ways, it was a great community event, it was
a great club event, well supported by members and in many instances their
partners, and at the end of the day we were able to raise worthwhile funds
for the Northcott Society.
Whilst the weather wasn’t as good as last Sunday it didn’t rain and it was
generally good weather for cyclists and volunteers except for the wind
during mid morning.
Participation was 659 entrants, 39% more than last year and we are very
happy with that number.
There was only one reported mishap and they were attended to by Dr Euan
Watson and then transported to hospital by ambulance with a suspected
fractured wrist / arm.
Paul Giammarco was rostered to act as a marshal but on Saturday decided he
would participate in the ride instead. I last saw Paul at the finish area
displaying a swollen left knee, skin missing from his arm and elbow and torn
bike shorts. Whilst he enjoyed one of Shirley’s BBQ sausages he was heard to
say, “maybe I should have been a marshal after all”.
There are many people to thank and I am truly appreciative to every
individual who contributed to the event on Sunday.
I know the event is labour intensive but that cannot be avoided and that’s
why we needed a combined club effort to make it happen.
There has been a small committee working behind the scenes for many months
to make this event happen. Meeting initially monthly, then weekly and in the
last few weeks individual committee members have been planning organising
and coordinating the event daily. As I have indicated already, everyone who
contributed in some way to the event on Sunday played an important part, in
making it happen.
It is dangerous to single out people for mention, for fear of offending
someone because they weren’t mentioned, I’m going to do it anyway. There are
three members who deserve special mention, Rod Mc Dougall, Stephen Taylor
and Bert Houston. Without their constant planning, negotiating and
coordinating of this event, it would not have been the success it was. I
personally want to thank them for their outstanding efforts.
Rod has been working almost full-time over many weeks before his departure
to Chicago and continued to check online registrations from Chicago and even
called me around 10.00 a.m. on Sunday morning to check how things were
going.
Stephen has also worked almost daily in the last few weeks at a huge
personal cost to his business while dealing with various issues including
dealing with sponsors, designing the start area and the design and
manufacture of signs.
Bert, the quite achiever, when asked to manage the event some months ago,
accepted the task and just got on and did the job, which included liaising
with SOPA and coordinating our requirements for the day.
Thank you Rod, Stephen and Bert for a job well done.
Overall a very happy day.
Keith