SF Bicycle Coalition volunteers fix up bikes and distribute them to those in need, pour you drinks at great events like Tour de Fat and Winterfest, keep our office running at our monthly Volunteer Nights, and chat with you about our work at our streetside outreach stations. We are immensely grateful for the time and energy from each of the over 800 people who collectively gave over 10,000 hours last year to keep the wheels of advocacy spinning and help make San Francisco a more enjoyable and safer city for biking.
To celebrate these amazing folks, we gathered with over 60 SF Bicycle Coalition volunteers last week at our winter Volunteer Appreciation Party. At the Dolan Law Firm office, with Sufferfest Beer Company brews to sip and Littlejohn’s chocolates to munch (the space, beverages and dessert all graciously donated), we raised a glass to everyone who volunteered over the past six months and gave awards to those who went above and beyond in 2016.
The 2016 Volunteer Appreciation Awards went to…
Meet your 2016 Volunteer Award winners.
Volunteer Night Champion: Sindy Cho
Not only does Sindy attend each and every Volunteer Night, she takes extra time to pick up the delicious snacks that we provide to keep our volunteers fueled at Volunteer Night. She also distributes posters for all our major events and volunteered at a Bike to Work Day Energizer Station. We’d be lost without her!
Most Active Bike Mechanic: Paddy O’Flynn
Paddy is a bike mechanic extraordinaire. He completed over 38 hours of volunteering for our Bike It Forward program in 2016 alone. Only one other mechanic even broke single digits – barely. Paddy has been a fixture at our bike builds, helping to ensure that the reclaimed bicycles we distribute to communities across San Francisco are safe and in good working order.
Snapshot Super Star: Volker Neumann
Have you ever looked at event pictures on the SF Bicycle Coalition’s Twitter or Facebook accounts? Chances are, those photos were taken by Volker. Volker’s talent with a camera is undeniable, and his photos support our communications and marketing work year after year. Thank you, Volker, for your super snaps.
Ivan of the Year: Ivan Abeshaus
We realize that such a specific award means it’s unlikely Ivan would have much competition, but no one is more deserving of an award than Ivan Abeshaus. From truck-driving and tote-bag stuffing to helping with our move, Ivan supports the big and little things that help keep our organization rolling. The most impressive part? He does it all with the biggest smile on his face.
All-Around All Star: Jenn Chan
Jenn is one of our many former interns who has stayed involved since her internship. We are so grateful to the enormous amounts of time and energy she has dedicated to our work over the years. What put her over the top in 2016? Jenn is a champion in the Richmond District, giving a huge amount of support to our advocacy work in D1 and Golden Gate Park. Whether it’s organizing rides, attending walk-throughs or providing input at community meetings, Jenn does it all.
The SF Bicycle Coalition holds Volunteer Appreciation Parties twice per year, and everyone who’s volunteered in the previous six months is invited to attend. That’s just one of many great reasons to join us as a volunteer: Check out our upcoming projects, and sign up today.
