Volume 4, Issue 3 March/April 2008 |
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In This Issue:
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THUNDERHEAD LAUNCHES NEW BIKE & PED ADVOCACY RESOURCE LIBRARY: RESOURCES DOUBLED! Thunderhead Alliance launched its new and improved Bike & Ped Advocacy Resources Library today. The new Resource Library features an improved category structure and navigation to help you find the resources you need. Additional features include allowing Thunderhead members to submit resources directly to the library and to request needed resources. In Thunderhead’s 2008 Membership Survey, our members let us know what resources they needed, and Thunderhead staff have been working hard to deliver on these requests. The results of our efforts more than DOUBLED the resources in the library, which now boasts over 500 resources to help your organization succeed! Among the new resources added, you will find replicable models and samples from Thunderhead organizations including job descriptions, newsletters, Share the Road brochures, Safe Routes to School resources, data and research to help you build your case, annual reports, press releases, media tips, sticker templates and much, much more. You’ll also find resources on managing valet bike parking services, sample public service announcements, and resources for organizing bike to work day events and fundraising rides. We will be adding even more resources in the coming months. The new library layout allows you to see a summary, file type and file size for each resource before you view it. You can also search the library for exactly what you are looking for with the new search feature at the top of the screen, by typing in key words. Thanks to all the Thunderhead leaders who gave their input on needs for this library. With your feedback we’ll continue to improve and grow the only online resource library that specifically caters to the needs of bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations. 2008 THUNDERHEAD ALLIANCE RETREAT: UNITING BIKE & PED ADVOCACY LEADERS FROM ACROSS NORTH AMERICA The 2008 Retreat Committee is working hard to respond to your needs for an outstanding retreat, which will gather our leaders prior to ProWalk/ProBike. This year’s retreat will deliver successful strategies for:
What: The Thunderhead 2008 Retreat: Raising Your Organization to the Next Level Who: Bicycle and pedestrian advocacy leaders from across North America Where: This year’s retreat will be hosted at Island Wood, a unique 255-acre outdoor learning center just a ferry ride from Seattle. What to Expect: Your registration will include meals – Island Wood’s famous sustainable Northwest cuisine, two nights of lodging, and an opportunity to connect with outstanding Thunderhead leaders who are working in your field. This retreat brings us together to connect, build relationships, and share wisdom that will propel our work in a collective fashion throughout North American communities. Early Registration opens March 31st—Register by June 1 and save $75 off the regular price. |
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ORGANIZATION TIP: PLANNING A BIKE TO WORK DAY EVENT These tips are quotes from a recent Thunderhead Mutual Aid conference call on Planning Bike to Work Day events. To listen to the entire call visit Thunderhead’s Bike & Ped Advocacy Resource Library - and search "Bike to Work". Getting People to Bike to Work – Reaching Them Where They Are “We do commuter stations and we do a lot of them at transit stations. We do ‘Bike to Metra’, or ‘bike to your local Metra stop’ – so we are having commuter stations where people are in the suburbs and not necessarily going to be able to ride all the way to work but will ride for a piece of that. That’s been really popular for us.” - Melody
Geraci, Chicagoland Bicycle Federation
“We originally had everything focused coming into DC and granted 60% of the traffic is doing that way but there’s the other 40% going in a different direction. We’re working with local TDMs and folks around the region to figure out where the most important destinations are – where people are traveling from and to and try to link those with commuter conveys. From there it’s a matter of combing our membership for experienced commuters and getting them the information they need… figuring out a good starting point and a good route and publicizing that to people who might want to try it.” – Eric
Gilliland, Washington
Area Bicyclist Association
On Sponsors for Bike to Work Day: “We start soliciting sponsors directly after bike to work day, we have all the excitement and energy and press that just came from Bike to Work Day so what better time to say, ‘hey, you want to get looped in for next year…” – Kate
McCarthy, San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
“What you’re selling the sponsors is their logo on posters, on bags, on t-shirts, and on your website and you’re selling them this community of people who are willing to support them who are going to be dedicated supporters because they support Bike to Work Day...” – Kate
McCarthy, San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
“Local cities, counties, governments….They should be contributing dollars…They should be able to contribute cash or to help defray costs by printing materials or maps…” – Chuck
Ayers, Cascade Bicycle Club
* Kate and Chuck also contributed Bike to Work Day sponsorship resources to Thunderhead’s Bike & Ped Advocacy Resource Library. Getting Media for Bike to Work Day “We’re beating the media off with a stick around our Bike to Work Day event… we try to start our media campaign early with a Bike Month announcement to announce all the activities we have going on around that time and really pressing the issue of Bike to Work Day with as many media outlets as possible.” – Eric
Gilliland, Washington Area
Bicyclist Association
“We do a press conference the morning of with the mayor. We get all of the district supervisors to ride on the Bike Bus. They love doing that because they love getting the attention from their constituents and then we all ride over to City Hall at about 8:15 when the press conference starts.” - Kate
McCarthy, San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
“On our public station, we have them give traffic reports on our main trails so you hear, ‘the traffic on 1-5 and the traffic on 1-90 sucks and hey the Burke-Glman Trail is wide open’.” – Chuck
Ayers, Cascade Bicycle Club
“I did call-in interviews from a bike trail on my commute in a couple years ago.” – Eric
Gilliland, Washington Area Bicyclist Association
“We’ve done a commuter challenge where the mayors ride their cars in and compete with the bicyclists, and that got us some coverage…” – Judy
Lansky, Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas
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TECHNOLOGY & MEMBER RESOURCES UPDATE HAVE YOU REGISTERED ON THUNDERHEADALLIANCE.ORG? We wanted to remind you to create your username and password on www.thunderheadalliance.org as soon as possible. In addition to our enhanced Bike/Ped Advocacy Resources Library, we will be implementing other features in the coming months including:
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NEWSLETTER CUT-AND-PASTE: CYCLISTS! YOUR HELP NEEDED FOR MEDICAL SURVEY The Newsletter Cut-and-Paste column is a service for Thunderhead member organizations. Feel free to cut and paste this article into your next newsletter. Cyclists! Medical investigators need your help with an online survey that will provide researchers with detailed information about cycling health and injuries. “While there are reams of data on children and helmets, and great information demonstrating the risk of intoxication and bicycle riding, little exists on those who ride their bikes for fitness, fun, competition, commuting or as messengers,” notes Principal Investigator Mark Greve, MD. The “Cyclist Health and Injury Survey” will create a more complete picture of active cyclists, how often they ride, how their health is affected by cycling and the types of injuries sustained while cycling. “The largest data sets from groups like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration lump cycling and pedestrian injuries together. This is an incredible disservice to cyclists since these activities result in very different kinds of injuries,” says Greve. Researchers from the Injury Prevention Center at Rhode Island Hospital are launching the survey to expand knowledge about cycling-specific injuries and promote safer and healthier cycling. So, let’s help them out, submit a survey, and continue to build the data we need to improve cycling in our community. |
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MEMBER NEWS Bike Alameda Celebrates Advocacy Victory – New Bike Lanes & Sharrows! Bike Alameda is celebrating some,” long awaited, hard fought advocacy results!” A new bike lane segment and sharrows can now be found on Alameda, CA’s Central and Oak Street. These are the first ever sharrows in Alameda. Also, the diagonal parking was changed to parallel parking resulting in less parking, too! See the sharrows at bikealameda.org. Thunderhead Organization in Cleveland Unite for 1st Cleveland Bicycle Week Numerous Thunderhead member organizations in Cleveland, Ohio including Cleveland Bikes, Walk and Roll Cleveland and Bike Lakewood are coming together to produce the first ever “Cleveland Bicycle Week.” The goal of the event is to promote cycling during National Bike Month by hosting fun and educational activities. Thursday May 15th they will host a one-day conference for government officials, health and wellness agencies, the media and other interested parties. Friday will be the Cleveland Bicycle Expo at Cleveland City Hall. Florida Bicycle Association Engages Members With Bike Ride & Ice Cream Social On March 8th the Florida Bicycle Association (FBA) invited its members for a free bike ride and ice-cream social (donations were accepted) in Orlando, FL. FBA used this opportunity to engage its members and to give a program update including legislative initiatives over the next two years. Family business owner Steve Beumer also had a ribbon cutting to celebrate new bike racks installed to show his support to bike riders. Thunderhead Leaders Share Experiences with Online Registration Options Online registration for events is a recurring topic on the Thunderhead listserv that again popped up this March. Thunderhead has summarized the results of the listserv discussion and posted a document summarizing the discussion and online registration options in the new Bike & Ped Advocacy Resource Library. Search “online registration” to find this new resource. Toronto Coalition for Active Transportation Hosts 2008 Bike Summit On Friday April 25th , the Toronto Coalition for Active Transportation (TCAT) will host the 2008 Bike Summit in Toronto. The organization is planning innovative and forward-thinking sessions that will: share international and Canadian best practices and perspectives on putting policy into action; build local, regional and provincial momentum and leadership for bikeable communities; and engage key stakeholders on how to effectively implement policies and strategies to realize and maximize the value of bicycling for transportation, health, tourism, recreation, economic development, energy conservation and the environment. TCAT invites interested bicycle and pedestrian advocacy leaders to attend. See their website for more details. (And Thunderhead would like to welcome TCAT as one of our newest member organizations!) Thunderhead Organizations Are Hiring! Our member organizations are hiring! Check out all of the fantastic job opportunities on the Thunderhead Jobs page. If your organization is hiring, be sure to let us know! We'll list your job posting. Simply send an email to: jobs "at" thunderheadalliance.org. Upcoming Events at Thunderhead Alliance April 10: Mutual Aid Call: Fundraising Strategies, 4-5 EST - more here April 11-13th: Thunderhead Winning Campaigns Traning in San Francisco, CA - more here April 17: Mutual Aid Call: Membership Development & Retention , 4-5 EST - more here May 5-8th: Train the Trainer - Advanced Leadership Training in Chicago, IL - more here May 8: Mutual Aid Call: Media Relations, 4-5 EST - more here May 14: Mutual Aid Call: Planning Successful Fundraising Rides, 4-5 EST - more here May 15: Mutual Aid Call: Complete Streets (Special Topic), 4-5 EST - more here May 22: Mutual Aid Call: Bike, Walk & Plan: How to Build Relationships With Planners, 4-5 EST - more here June 26: Mutual Aid Call: Diversifying Cycling: Engaging Partners Outside the Bike Industry, 4-5 EST - more here August 31st - September 2: Thunderhead Alliance Retreat in Seattle, WA - more here We want your news! Thunderhead wants to publish your good news! Our coalition is our members and your peers want to hear about your success and innovations. Have you had a recent success? A winning campaign? A creative event? Has your organization used innovative methods for attracting members or earning media attention? We want to know about it! Send your news items to kristen "at" thunderheadalliance.org. |
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This monthly Thunderhead Alliance Weather Report is for the leaders of our member organizations and our supporters. The Thunderhead Alliance, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is the only coalition of state and local bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations working in unison to break down the barriers to safe bicycling and walking in North American communities. Find more info at: www.thunderheadalliance.org. |