Editors: This story was originally published in Issue 155 of our quarterly Tube Times magazine.
Your SF Bicycle Coalition often finds new members and volunteers through outreach at our events. That’s how we found Katie Fick, an awesome volunteer who has been an Energizer Station Captain for Bike to Work Day since 2013. We first met Katie on her way home from work at one of our “Light Up the Night” events.
“I wanted to learn more and get involved as much as I could,” she said. “I love seeing the changes throughout the city and knowing that I helped make some of them happen.”
Seeing how dedicated she was to promoting the bicycle for everyday transportation, we invited Katie to celebrate Bike to Work Day as a Captain in 2013. Some of her favorite memories volunteering are from her first year as Captain in her neighborhood, the Panhandle. “I aptly chose ‘hippie’ for our theme, given the neighborhood’s history, and it was awesome seeing my fellow volunteers dress up and suggest songs for the playlist.
“Seeing so many people biking to work blows my mind, and every year there are more participants. It almost makes me wish I had a commute!” Katie said, noting that she has worked from home most recently.
“I like seeing people decorate their bikes, play music or just simply wish each other a ‘Happy Bike to Work Day,’” she added. “This is the biggest event for people biking all year, and our best opportunity to reach new members and get our message across. It always goes by way too fast!”
In addition to Bike to Work Day, Katie’s experience completing Bicycle Ambassador training also upped her excitement for volunteering with the SF Bicycle Coalition. She recalls her training led by now-Interim Executive Director Margaret McCarthy fondly.
“Just go to any Ambassador training and listen to Margaret talk for 10 minutes,” Katie said. “She’ll get you so fired up you won’t be able to say no! Seriously, we’ve made a ton of progress making our streets better for people biking, but there are still a lot of people scared to bike.”
Along with the help of our member-volunteers like Katie, your SF Bicycle Coalition is working hard to advocate for improvements to our city’s streets that will make as many people as possible comfortable and confident biking them.
Volunteers are at the heart of our work, and San Francisco’s biggest bike event of the year wouldn’t be possible without them. Want to volunteer like Katie at Bike to Work Day? We’d love to have your help! Sign up to volunteer and celebrate the best day to bike in San Francisco. There are no shortage of volunteer opportunities at sfbike.org/volunteer. Join us today!