Those of you who want to help make Salinas a safer place, here's your chance to do it.
Volunteer for Ciclovía, a morning full of wheels and fun through the streets of Salinas. It will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Alisal Street, beginning on Sanborn and ending on Salinas St. Alisal will be closed to through traffic, and enough adults are needed to make sure bicyclists, skaters and pedestrians can safely walk through the streets.
Here's further incentive. If there's not enough volunteers show up to help monitor traffic and close the streets, the event WILL NOT take place.
Salinas Police Chief Kelly McMillin told me this morning that he needs enough volunteers to make sure the streets are safe, but that, if not enough people show up on Oct. 6, he will cancel the event.
Thirty percent of people who say they'll volunteer usually don't show up, he said.
Now, it would be a shame, wouldn't it? Dozens of Salinas youth have been organizing for this event. They envision retaking the streets with an exercise zone, dancing, a bike decorating contest, and who knows what more. It's a way for the youth to say: we own these streets. And for people to have a fun day and build community.
Yes, I'll volunteer to close the streets. Will you join me?
For more information, check Ciclovía's Facebook page here
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Thanks, Claudia, for adding your own hands to the many required to make Ciclovia Salinas, Monterey County's 1st Open Streets event--the 9th Ciclovia/Open Streets location in California--a fabulous success! Learn more about this extraordinary undertaking here: http://www.bit.ly/Oct6Salinas
ReplyDeleteBarricade volunteers who've already jumped in to help include people from Carmel Valley Rotary, Doug Chandler Performance/DC-10, First Presbyterian Church-Monterey, Knights of Columbus, Salinas Bike Party, Sea Otter Classic, Tony's Bike Shop, Velo Club Monterey, and others. Also helping are individuals from around the county, e.g., a Del Rey Oaks parent, a Monterey housekeeper, a Hartnell College instructor from Marina, and others.
These people are pitching in because they recognize Ciclovia Salinas has multiple benefits for the Monterey County seat and beyond, and they want to help bring this dream to life. Join them!
More adults (18+) are still needed to serve as barricade volunteers. See pictures from the first barricade volunteer training, plus a partial list of the earliest barricade volunteers, here: http://marilynch.com/blog/912-barricade-volunteer-training-for-ciclovia-salinas.html People may contact me if they welcome their name added to the Bicycling Monterey website's list of barricade volunteers, to help inspire others. But whether you prefer to be an unnamed volunteer or are happy to "shout out" you're part of helping make this cool event possible, please pitch in.
Although youth have other volunteer ops at Ciclovia too (great for community service hours, high-schoolers!), only people 18 or older may serve as barricade volunteers.
Please contact the Ciclovia Salinas committee so there is no question they'll have plenty of hands to make Sunday, October 6th not only happen, but a fabulous success. (Can't reach them right away? Feel free to phone me with questions: http://www.bit.ly/ContactMari )
See what Gregg Brady has to say about why he's helping, and see photos of some folks who were at the Sept 12 barricade volunteer training: http://marilynch.com/blog/912-barricade-volunteer-training-for-ciclovia-salinas.html
Visitors and locals of all ages will benefit from Ciclovia Salinas. Whether you like biking, walking, running, skating, or other people-powered transportation, or whether you just want to be part of a historic day in Monterey County, contact the Ciclovia Salinas committee now.