| Vol. 10, Issue 11 |
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Membership Issue Membership campaign showcases diverse cyclists Ride with Chicago’s first predominantly black bike club Action alert: Urge state legislators to override veto Suburban tollway ride raises funds for trail Advocacy welcomes new faces to bicycling efforts ‘Share the Road’ vehicle sticker art contest kicks off Share your stories on bike>>blog Businesses reach out to bicyclists |
Membership campaign showcases diverse cyclists
The newest Chicagoland Bicycle Federation membership campaign debuts on mass transit this month. It encourages bicyclists region-wide to "join the movement" and become members of the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation. To help reach the broadest audience possible and challenge assumptions about the demographics of our membership, the campaign portrays a diverse cross section of members in their bicycling environments. This campaign goes beyond the standard definition of diversity. It represents members from both the city and the suburbs, including towns like Mount Prospect, Oak Park and Blue Island. These members bike as families, as parts of social club rides and as individuals. Some of them are early in their careers at corporate offices, non-profit organizations, or as freelance artists; a few are well into retirement. A few of them face physical challenges that virtually disappear with the help of their bicycles. And an inventory of the types of bicycles used by this group includes hybrids, road bikes, cruisers and a couple of recumbents. But, the final element in diversity — the reasons they use their two wheels — is not as obvious in the images. From health and fitness to commuting, from recreation to practical transportation — these members represent the full gamut of reasons for bicycling. But what they do share is that they belong to the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation because of its work to support their bicycling endeavors. You can learn more about their motivations by viewing the profiles and photos of these members in action at www.biketraffic.org. In the end, this campaign emphasizes the common thread that brings us all together: We all play a significant role in this important movement that the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation is building around bicycling and walking. As the message goes out to the general public, I encourage you to keep an eye out for it. Point it out to those who bike or walk. Direct them to our website to learn more about these extraordinary individuals. And encourage them to join! More cyclists on the road means healthier streets for everyone. Liz Farina Markel is the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation’s Membership Manager.
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