As you all likely know by now, the Club’s warehouse was burnt to the ground, by the fires that have devastated our county and our city. Of course, you are the real heart and soul of our Club, but the warehouse was the core of our operations. The equipment and material stored there was key in providing support for the Wine Country Century, the Terrible Two, Levi’s GranFondo, our own Club Tours, and many other cycling events in Sonoma County.
Our loss is estimated to be from $100k to $150k. That sum is only surpassed by the thousands of volunteer hours that have been invested over the years.
The Club did not carry insurance on the contents. This was clearly a mistake that we cannot fix. However, as we work to rebuild, I can assure you it will not be a mistake that we make again. Which brings me to the next subject: the future.
Three cycling clubs in neighboring counties have made contacted me with offers of support and assistance. The Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition is having a fundraising event this Saturday, October 28 (Bikes, Blues, and Brews), with a portion of the proceeds for our relief. Local bike shops have asked me what they can do to help us recover, as well as a cycling tour company. Many of you have offered to help. Our landlord has told us he intends to rebuild and would like us back as a tenant. With all this outpouring of support, we will recover.
In the short term, a group met last week to discuss our options and it was decided that we are going to hold the Wine County Century and The Terrible Two in 2018. We had lots of ideas about how to make this happen. After all, the Club has been running these events since long before we had a warehouse. The WCC and Warehouse Committees will be meeting to sort out all the details.
There is a long and strong legacy of volunteering in our club, and continuing this tradition will be the key to enable us to ‘climb from the ashes’. Here is what you can do to help:
- Lead a ride! There are many openings on weekends and weekdays (some of our leaders lost their homes). If you cannot lead, call someone and ask them to lead. Weekend or weekday, but especially weekends, we need ride leaders. All paces, any distance.
- Volunteer! Sign-up for a volunteer position when we post them on our website, or announced in the weekly e-blasts. The sooner our committees get people signed up, the better.
- Come to our General Meetings! I’ll be there to answer questions and provide updates on our progress. Get to know your club while off the bike!
Finally, several of you have asked what you can do to help and some have offered up ideas. We welcome your input and help as we move forward. Working together, I am confident that our Club will recover and thrive in the future.
Sincerely,
Bob Owen
President, Santa Rosa Cycling Club
