By Brian Benson, Community Engagement Director

On Tuesday, January 31st, over 60 volunteers and staff came together in the bike shop to celebrate another phenomenal year for the volunteer program. The shop was full of familiar faces, and it felt less like a nonprofit event, more like a family reunion.

Alison Graves, our Executive Director, kicked things off by offering the first and most eloquent of the evening’s 952 thank-yous. She then shared some exciting details about our plans for the coming year and the important role that volunteers will play in supporting our work.

Next, and with the help of some stunning visuals (read: doodles on butcher paper), we looked back upon a year that saw volunteers contributing as never before. In 2011, 96 volunteers contributed 30 hours or more, and 29 gave over 100 hours. Our amazing supporters turned out in all-time high numbers at our Drop-In sessions, raised a record sum at Cycle Oregon, played a huge role in overhauling our bike shop and got our brand-new Guest Mechanic program  off to a rollicking start!

We then paused to celebrate some new faces in the Volunteer Program. Staff and volunteers alike gave a warm welcome to Randi Orth, who’s taking the helm of this amazing program, and Evan Burgad, the new Holiday Bike Drive Coordinator.

At last, it was time for the Golden Bike Awards. Before this event, staff had prepared by pulling all the parts from a dusty old kid’s bike and spray-painting them gold. Amid laughter and smiles, these awards, and some stunningly bad metaphors, were presented to truly outstanding volunteers. Staff honored volunteers who assist with everything from building Create a Commuter bikes to making Holiday Bike Drive videos to co-teaching Maintenance Classes.

Dave and Eli Wuollet, a father-son team, are some of our most committed Drop-In volunteers, and they received a golden seat post award at the event. “I really love how all the staff and volunteers seem to genuinely enjoy being and working together,” Dave shared in an email after the event. “I think I saw quite a few watery eyes.”

All night long we stuffed ourselves silly, feasting upon delicious tamales from La Bonita and cookies generously donated by Bob’s Red Mill. And throughout the night, we handed out some awesome raffle prizes, donated by Nutcase, Russell St. BBQ, Bob’s Red Mill, Nossa Familia Coffee and Good Sport Promotion. We want to thank our sponsors and supporters for making this special night possible.

And most of all, we want to thank our volunteers for giving us so much to celebrate. We deeply appreciate everything you help us accomplish, and we’re just as grateful for the friendships formed along the way.

See more photos from Volunteer Appreciation Night.

Photos by Anne Lee

Over the past few months, your bike has seen rain, snow, and the dreaded wintry mix. It could probably use some love. We want to make it easy for you. Overhauls typically run $275, but this February and March, we’ll take $100 off .

We put the same love and care into your bike that we do with our refurbished bicycles that we sell in the shop. In fact, we call our overhauls a Community Cycling Center Refurbishment. When we refurbish your bike, we start by stripping the bike to its frame, then we clean and wax it. Next we overhaul the headset, hubs and bottom bracket. Overhauls include a complete tune up and drive train cleaning, so when you get your bike back from us, it will feel brand new!

Photo by Nickey Robare

The 11th Annual Worst Day of the Year Ride on February 12th is a good demonstration of the spirited, fun-loving and resourceful attitude that makes Portland so special. As the largest cycling event in Portland between September and May, it inspires over 3,000 people to ignore, or even celebrate the rain, and hop on their bicycles.

As our Retail Service Manager Patrick Loftus describes it, “There are not a lot of cycling cultures in this country that would plan a ride on a day that typically has such horrible weather.” Patrick is excited to take on the urban 18 mile ride around Portland. His work schedule has kept him from being able to participate in this event for the last 4 years. This year, however, he has the day off, and February 12th happens to be his birthday. Needless to say, he’s pumped. “It’s good to have motivation in the middle of the off season to get out and ride.”

Patrick doesn’t do a lot of organized rides, but he’s a big fan of the Worst Day of the Year Ride. He loves that it supports the Community Cycling Center. For that reason alone, he participated in the ride even before he worked here.

So come ride. Ride with your friends. Ride for the tasty treats. Ride to support our community programming, and if you see Patrick, tell him happy birthday. He’ll be the redhead dressed as Speed Racer.

Register for Worst Day of the Year Ride online, or stop by the Community Cycling Center to pick up a $5 discount on registration.

We are proud to announce that in early February we will be co-sponsoring Local Motion: Portland Mayoral Candidates Discuss Active Transportation. In collaboration with a slew of great nonprofits working on active transportation, we’re putting together some tough, specific questions for candidates Eileen Brady, Charlie Hales and Jefferson Smith.

Each candidate will have the opportunity to let us know where they stand on a range of transportation issues, including public transit, pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, transportation equity, public health and safety. We’ll be especially interested to hear how they’ll ensure that our city’s transportation resources are distributed equitably.

The forum is open to the public, admission is free, and seats will be filled on a first-come basis. The event will be emceed by Lawrence Wallack, Dean of Portland State University’s College of Urban and Public Affairs,  and Sarah Mirk, intrepid reporter at the Portland Mercury.

We want to thank the PSU Planning Club for doing such a great job pulling together this conversation. Please join us and make your voice heard!

Where: Lincoln Hall, Portland State University, 1620 SW Park Avenue

When: Monday, February 6, 7-9pm.

What would you like to hear discussed? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.