As a frequent cyclist and advocate for cycling in Philadelphia, it may surprise you that until recently, I was not a member of the biggest cycling advocacy group in the city, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. After recently attending a happy hour, I was convinced to join by my friends Jeffrey and Ruth Ann. I met them through working at the Strengthening Health Institute, the non-profit macrobiotic center in Philly. Funny how everything connects, right?
Anyway, the final push for me to become a Coalition member was because they invited me (and my roommate) to the Coalition's annual Gala & Awards Dinner, which was this Thursday. I figured if I was going to attend their biggest fundraiser, I should probably be a member:
In case you haven't noticed, I'm a bit of a nut when it comes to these things, insisting on riding a bike to everything bike-related. The weather was downright awful, but I persisted, and did it in a suit. Not the best decision, but I survived:
After drying off a bit, it was time to enjoy the experience. During the hors d'oeuvres and cocktail hour, there was a silent auction with plenty of items I couldn't afford that made me want to drool:
Among many others. That touring bike was starting at $750. Woof.
Fantastic food by Feast Your Eyes Catering, beer from Lagunitas, wine from Moore Brothers, and company from hundreds of cycling-friendly people, I can't even describe how much fun I had just being a part of the experience. And of course, ever the self-promoter, I did some light marketing work for Wash Cycle while I was there too. When in Rome, right?
Of course, it was an awards dinner as well, and Jeffrey was one of the presenters:
He said he was nervous. Not sure why, but he did well regardless. My apologies for the crappy phone camera pic.
I can't thank he and Ruth Ann enough for the invite. I love being part of this organization and the cycling movement in Philly, and events like these remind me why we do what we do. It's a family. Really.
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