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VOL. 19 NO. 1 www.bayviewbikeclub.org Jan/Feb 2007

CELEBRATING NINETEEN YEARS OF FUN !!!

Comments From the Back of the Pack…
By Dan Krall, BVBC President

Well, well, well, lookee here! To say the least, I am honored to write my first newsletter article as President of the Bay View Bike Club. It took me quite by surprise at the Board meeting when the job of president came my way, and what surprised me more is that I accepted the position. Oh well, I’m in the fray and am eager and excited to have a great year biking and socializing as your president. And my first act as president is to thank Jimmy Mamayek for all his contributions to BVBC during his tenure as Prez! He will be a tough act to follow!

As I approached this job, my first question was “Why am I in a bike club?”. Was it:

To ride my bike?

To socialize with like-minded people?

To have a place to meet new people who are health conscious?

To perform community service activities related to health and fitness?

To make friends?

To have a place to share experiences?

To help raise money to promote bicycling for disadvantaged youth or other charities?

To promote and protect bicycling?

Although my answer is “all of the above,” most important to me was to socialize with health conscious people and make friends. I was in the club a very short time when I volunteered to help out with the Classic. I got to know people and more importantly, people got to know me. One of the best feelings I know is to arrive at a ride and be recognized and greeted. That is only one of the advantages to helping the club in its mission. Get involved, stay involved, get to know everyone. Be a ride leader, help out with the social committee, help with picnic rides, take a position on a Classic committee. Contact one of the chairpersons and offer to help. We will be glad to have you participating in club activities and riding together.

I was looking at the Bay View Bike Club Web site recently. There is a section called “Do You Know (DYK)”. I was amazed at the number of people profiled who are no longer members. In order for us to keep members and increase membership, we have to participate in club events and attract people of like minds. Our club rides at a certain speed. We socialize in ways that are healthy and fun. We welcome couples and singles. Should we go out for ice cream instead of beer? Do we want to have a breakfast ride occasionally? Do we want a monthly social outing? Should we stay in the metro Milwaukee area or should we ride all over the state? These are a few of the thoughts that I had as I was thinking about our club.

A mission is as important for a club as it is for an individual, business, or organization. I want to be a member of a club that has a purpose and defines the way it is going to accomplish that purpose.

I polled the Board members about what they think is the mission of the club. Here is a possibility: “At the BVBC, we promote bicycling for its overall health benefits, for the opportunity to meet diverse people, engender friendships, share our riding experiences, as well as everyday experiences, and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow bicyclists.” (Thanks, Corrado!)

I will continue to poll all members of the club to refine the club’s mission statement and to make it something that we, the members of BVBC, can accomplish together while we ride our bikes, make new friends, establish long-term relationships, and have fun in the process.

Dan Krall