Joe Cote
10/8/2025 7:06 PM
The VBC board is soliciting nominations for our Service Awards. These awards are given to people who make a difference to the club. We encourage members to make nominations.
To nominate someone, please submit a short, written nomination that addresses the Service Award Selection Criteria listed below. Please note, there is a separate award given to our top ride leader as well as other ride leader awards. So, any nominee should be for reasons other than as a ride leader.
It is important to recognize those who make the club what it is. Please take some time to nominate anyone you feel is deserving. Send your nomination to Joe Cote wsuvprof@msn.com<mailto:wsuvprof@msn.com> before December 10th. The Board will review nominations and select winners. The awards will be given at the Annual Awards Banquet in January.
Outstanding Service Award
The Outstanding Service Award is a Lifetime Achievement award. As such, an awardee should have made significant contributions to the Club over an extended period (5+ years). In addition to normal volunteer efforts and leading rides, an awardee should have taken on multiple leadership roles such as:
1. Board member
2. Coordinator of key activities and special events in/outside club: RACC, Annual Picnic, ride series, (Cycling 101, time trials), charity events (Xmas bike build), or outside activities like fitness fairs
3. Coordinator of specific tasks, such as RACC subgroups (e.g., rest stop coordinator), where they direct the efforts of multiple volunteers
4. Liaison between VBC and other bike groups and the community (city, county, shops)
5. Served as a cycling advocate in the community and to government agencies
6. Changed club in some particular way such as:
* create new activities, programs or policies
* resurrecting programs that have fallen to the wayside '
* Making innovative addition to existing programs like ride leader awards, Buddies List, contributions to the website, Wheel Truth, jersey design, route design, etc.
Extra consideration should be given to members who served as Ride Leader for an extraordinary number of rides (over an extended period).
The award winner should also exemplify the character of the club by being a welcoming mentor to new people, stepping up to volunteer whenever something needs to be done, and generally leading a helpful hand. In sum, the award should be give based on the longevity, diversity, depth and/or innovation of club service.
New Member Service Award
The New Member Service Award is given to members, who in their first 3 years, contribute significantly to the Vancouver Bicycle Club. There should also be evidence the member will continue to contribute significantly to the club in the future. It is likely this award will not be given annually. However, when a new member makes a significant contribution, that effort should be recognized.
Awardees should have taken on a leadership role within the club as well as leading rides and volunteering for various activities. A leadership role would include things like:
* Serving on the Board
* Being a coordinator for activities like the Annual Picnic, Cycling 101, or a RACC group (barricades, paint crew, rest stop leader, etc.).
* Show initiative in creating or leading an initiative
* Resurrecting an activity that has fallen to the wayside
In sum, an awardee of the New Member Service Award should have made a significant contribution to the club beyond normal volunteer activities.
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Joe Cote
"Each thing I do I rush through so I can do something else" Stephen Dobyns
"Half of me wants a cold beer. And the other half does too" Lyrics by Thomas Rhett