by Catherine Kitchell
To meet Pedal Patter deadlines I am writing this column two weeks before the PPTC Annual Meeting at the beginning of January but you'll get your issue after the meeting. So I can't really report that the meeting went completely smoothly but I'm sure it will -and presumably I actually was installed as your Chair! If you didn't come to it you should have because I'm sure the food was great and everyone had a wonderful time! This issue of PP is also remarkably small - nothing is apparently happening in mid-winter in the local biking scene though we've had remarkably good weather except for Dan Lehman's New Year's Day ride.
The Executive Committee voted in the December meeting to award Brin Luther the Good Shepherd Award for 2006. Brin epitomizes good ride leader shepherding. She leads lots and lots of rides, she always looks out for new members and makes sure everyone has a good time and that everyone gets back. She often plans social events afterwards at her house. Plus she's just a hard-working cyclist with a big heart. Bad weather, too many hills, too many miles, lack of companions, nothing really stops her. I've ridden in the back with her many times and she's just one tenacious rider. She is also tenacious in her advocacy work for the W & OD trail - don't get her started unless you want to hear the whole story! Members who have not been on a ride with her should go on them and everyone should congratulate her on her dedication.
The Ex Com also voted to recognize Marc Currie and Steve Wartik on their work on the new PPTC website. It's been a long time coming but hopefully it was actually revealed at the Annual Meeting and will soon be completely rolled out. It's all about the details and Marc and Steve have been remarkably patient at hammering them out. The content management system is running well, the cue sheet and ride start locations are online and the membership directory is in place. The whole project has been the bane of the existence of many an Ex Com and they both deserve a huge round of applause for, well, shepherding it through to completion!
Linda Tischer and Mike Heib received life-time memberships to PPTC for their work on three PPTC centuries. They are a phenomenal team and the Century really is a landmark event for the club - it's a great and beautiful ride and has provided an opportunity for many members of the club to come together as a team. If you really want to meet new people in the club mark your calendars for September 16th next year and resolve to volunteer more! As a matter of fact, the club is still looking for a Chair for the 2007 Century - the framework of the ride is in place and Linda and Mike have done such a great job that it should make next year's ride much easier. To volunteer, please contact me at ckitchell@earthlink.net.
PPTC is a charity and the Ex Com, along with the Community Services Committee, this year decided to grant $2200 to Trips for Kids and $1500 to Bikes for the World. Many thanks to John Ordway and Pat Childers for soliciting bids and evaluating them. Both of these programs promote biking in the area especially to under-served youths and are well worth us supporting. The committee needs new members so if you are interested in volunteering please let someone on the Ex Com know.
I would like to thank all the out-going members of the 2006 Ex Com. Butch Counts, Clara Martinez and Emil Regelman have all contributed much more to the club than a few hours the third Tuesday of every month. Please express your appreciation to all of them. (Especially thank Emil for ordering up those new PPTC caps that were delivered at the Annual meeting that hopefully took place!) I'm sure once the weather gets better all will be leading more rides with their new found extra time!
Lastly, if you haven't met Sigrid Haines, the outgoing Chair of PPTC, well you've missed a great person. We've worked well as an Ex Com this year and she and I have worked personally well. I will miss her a great deal at the meetings but with any luck I hope to, uh, shepherd her into other roles in the club!
Also, let's congratulate the new Ex Com members for 2007 - Marc Currie hopefully knows what he's agreed to by being the new Chair-Elect. Gary Timmons has some idea what to expect as the new Recording Secretary since he has attended meetings for a year already. And please be kind to Steve Jones, Steve Wartik and Deb Reynolds. All of them are enthusiastic so please let them know your ideas for making the club better. But don't forget to praise them for the jobs they are already doing well!
Happy Cycling to everyone in the New Year!