5 May 2004
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