More than 500,000 American employees now work at a Bicycle Friendly Business (BFB), thanks to visionary leadership in the private and public sector. On April 18, the League of American Bicyclists announced 67 new BFBs, who joined the ranks of the 412 local businesses, government agencies and Fortune 500 companies that are transforming the American workplace.  Over 3,000 of those employees and 3 of the businesses are located in Michiana.

“These leaders are at the forefront of a movement to make American businesses more competitive, sustainable and attractive to the best and brightest employees,” said Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Bicyclists. “An investment in bicycling enhances employee health, increases sustainability and improves the bottom line.”

Bicycle-friendly businesses encourage a more bicycle friendly atmosphere for employees and customers. From Microsoft in Redmond, Wash., to Pepe’s Bistro in Lincoln, Neb., to Eli Lilly in Indianapolis, bicycle-friendly businesses are improving the workplace, contributing to the community and improving their overall earnings.

The Michiana award winners are:

• Memorial Hospital and Health System, South Bend,  Honorable Mention, in the Medical/Health industry
• Outpost Sports, Mishawaka, Bronze status in the Sales/Retail industry
• GTA Containers, Inc., South Bend, Bronze status in the Manufacturing/Production industry.

Memorial Hospital of South Bend traces its roots back to 1894, when the Women’s Home Missionary Societies of the Methodist Churches of South Bend founded Epworth Hospital and Training School. By 1901, the hospital had grown from three patient beds in a converted house to a 50-bed “modern” hospital – complete with a maternity room and an operating room – in the first building in South Bend designed specifically as a hospital. The name officially changed in 1945 to Memorial Hospital of South Bend. Today, Memorial serves as a 526-bed regional referral center for cardiac, cancer, childbirth, emergency medicine, and rehabilitation services. Memorial has long been a financial supporter of healthful activities in the area, including cycling.

GTA Containers, Inc. manufactures a complete system of collapsible containers (drums and pillow tanks) to handle the temporary storage, transportation and delivery of drinking water, fuel, liquid food products, and fluid solids (grains, rice, etc.). The incredible mobility of their fluid delivery system makes it possible to take fluid cargo, in quantities ranging from 55 gallons to 5,000 barrels (225,000 gallons), to the most remote areas, under conditions of extreme temperatures and rugged handling. GTA has been a great supporter of cycling activities, especially Bike the Bend.

Outpost Sports is a one stop store for adventure gear. Since 1974 they have specialized in providing their customers with high quality products that will enhance their outdoor activities, and with excellent customer service. The Outpost work environment allows and requires their staff to participate in all their outdoor sports. They carry a full line of Bikes, Snowboards & Boots, Kayaks, Clothing, Footwear & Gear. Outpost Sports has been one of the workhorses in promoting cycling in Michiana.

The Northern Indiana Mountain Bike Association (NIMBA) is holding free “Intro to Mountain Biking” sessions at each of the 4 trails that it maintains. Each session will include a discussion and demonstration of basic Mountain Biking skills followed by a guided ride on the trail where we will put the skills to use and review features of the trail.

What do you need to participate?

• Bike Helmet
• Mountain Bike that has brakes and gears in good working order
• A desire to have fun

The sessions are geared for beginner adult Mountain Bikers, but teens can also attend with an adult. They will be held from 9:30AM – Noon EDT at these locations:

• 6-16-12 Potato Creek State Park – Peppermint Hill Parking Area
• 7-14-12 Rum Village Park, South Bend – Nature Center Parking Lot
• 8-11-12 Bendix Woods County Park – Otahnagon Picnic Area
• 8-25-12 TK Lawless County Park (MI) – Main Parking Lot

Attend one, or attend them all!  Please RSVP by sending an email to NIMBA.BIKE@GMAIL.COM.

Dates and places

• TK Lawless May 23
• TK Lawless May 30
• Rum Village June 6
• Rum Village June 13
• Potato Creek?
• Bendix Woods?

Process:

• Sign up as you arrive
• Start times are based on when you sign in
• Start one minute apart
• Number plates (paper plates or real number plates) will be issued
• A timing person will be available to record times

Michiana Bike to Work Week 2012, on the heels of Bike the Bend, kicks off Monday, May 21^st and continues into the Memorial Day weekend through Sunday, May 27^th throughout the Michiana area. Events for the week include activities for commuting adults, competitive teams, school children, a ride-in luncheon, and an organic blueberry pancake breakfast.

Anyone can join the fun and compete on mileage individually or as teams for recognition and sponsor discounts by registering with friends and co-workers at michianabiketowork.org

Tuesday, May 22^nd brings the most popular event of Bike to Work Week, the Organic Blueberry Pancake Breakfast, starting at 7 a.m. and running through

9 a.m., sponsored by 1^st Source Bank and hosted by LaSalle Grill. In addition, a bicycle-decorating contest will be judged at 8:00 a.m. during the pancake breakfast. Should it rain, the entire breakfast event schedule will be moved to Wednesday, May 23^rd.

School kids can join the fun on Bike to School Day, Thursday, May 24^th. Children are encouraged to ride to school with friends, providing their schools pre-approve riding to their particular school as safe.

Friday, May 25^th is the annual bike to lunch feature event, located on the College Football Hall of Fame gridiron in downtown South Bend. The event offers cyclist fellowship and special visits by local supporting dignitaries. Lunches will be available for purchase on-site.

Ride with Mayor Allan Kauffman on Monday, May 14, to kick off Goshen’s Bicycle-to-Work Week.

As a way to kick off the week, the MCBAC has asked Goshen Mayor Allan Kauffman to lead an after-work “Mayor’s Ride” on Monday, May 14. Any interested cyclist is welcome to join the 4.5 mile ride. Last year the first Mayor’s Ride attracted about thirty riders.

The Mayor’s Ride will start at 5:15 p.m. from the parking lot east of City Hall, 202 South Fifth Street, proceed south to the Goshen dam pond, return north on the Mill Race Trail and end at The Chief. The Ride is free, and no advanced registration is necessary.

The purpose of Bicycle-to-Work week is to encourage people to leave their cars at home for a week and try cycling instead. “For trips of less than two miles, it’s often faster to go by bicycle than by car in the city,” said Evan Bontrager, a MCBAC member. “We hope people will ‘test the water’ of bicycle commuting next week and enjoy the exercise and not having to pay the high price of gas.”

The MCBAC is a partnership between dedicated residents and City employees to address bicycle-related issues covering recreation, commerce, transportation, parking, and safety.

Note that Goshen is celebrating two Bike to Work Weeks. The first (May 14 – 18) coincides with the National week, and the second (May 21-25) coincides with the Michiana week.

About 70 cyclists, along with over a dozen walkers/runners, and motor vehicles joined in the procession meant to draw attention to the need for all users to share the roadway and crosswalks. The procession concluded at the County-City building in downtown South Bend where there was a press conference, and short speeches by local dignitaries. The gathered crowd seemed especially inspired by the words of Yatish Yoshi, the chairman of the event.  I am re-printing his speech below, and it is well worth reading.

Let it be known to humanity of mankind, to citizens of South Bend, Mishawaka, St. Joseph County and all surrounding counties and cities: we as bicyclists, we as walkers and runners, we as wheel chair users, are here to stay. We as motorists and motorcyclists are here to stay.  The roads and streets belong to all of us: bicyclists, motorists, walkers/runners, motorcyclists, wheel chair users. We all must feel safe all the time while we are using the roads/streets/sidewalks/bike paths and trails.

Hi, my name is Yatish Joshi, appointed Chair of the Procession Committee. The Procession Committee came about because various groups and citizens in our community wanted to raise the awareness “Share the Road….Every Life Counts”.

The fact is that accidents will happen: the most important thing is how we as individuals and citizens of our community can reduce the number of accidents; how we can make our community, our city, our state, our nation and world as a whole a better place to live where everyone can enjoy their freedom: freedom to walk, freedom to ride bicycles, freedom to drive motor vehicles.

As Louise Addicott said “It is not what we can do for ourselves but what we can do for others: that is what matters”.

The accidents of Steve Carey, a bicyclist hit by a car from behind in St. Joseph County, and Edna Mast, a motorist who was hit by a semi-truck from behind in Goshen while stopping for a bicyclist: they both were killed and are the catalysts for this procession. We as individuals and as community have to take these accidents as a starting point and make our community better. And by doing that, bicyclists, motorists and walkers/runners all can coexist side by side and share the road. It is not about “them” vs. “us”. We as a community, we as news media, we as elected officials must focus dialog and solutions on a common approach that all users of the roads can live by.

As Martin Luther King Jr. said “I have a dream……” and yes, we all are here because we also have a dream to make our communities, our cities better places to live. Another great man said “We as an ordinary people have a capacity to do extra ordinary things” and that we shall do.

I will now present to you Mike Keen, Office of Sustainability, Indiana University-South Bend, Alfred Guillaume, Vice Chancellor, IUSB, representing area higher education institutions, Hodge Patel, representing Congressman Joe Donnelly, and our Mayor Pete Buttigieg.

Thank you for believing in yourself and having a dream.

May – all month. South Bend Bike Month, as proclaimed by Mayor Pete of South Bend. And, of course, National Bike Month and Indiana Bike Month.

May 2- Mishawaka & South Bend. The Share The Road…Every Life Counts procession. This procession is an outgrowth of cyclists wanting to give final respects to Steven Carey, an area biker who was recently struck and killed by a motorist. But further, the cyclists wanted to raise awareness that roads and crosswalks are to be shared by a lot of folks: cars, motorcyclists, pedestrians, people with disabilities, even infants in strollers.

May 20 – South Bend, Mishawaka, St. Joseph County.  Bike the Bend. This will be the third year for this event, which is causing a lot of excitement in St. Joseph County and beyond. It is a unique, non-competitive bicycle tour for all ages and skill levels – riding side-by-side on vehicle-restricted streets. Riders may start and stop at any point along the 34-mile route. Highlights are St. Patrick’s County Park, the St. Joseph River, Monkey Island, historic neighborhoods, Potawatomi Park and Zoo, Northern Indiana Center for History/Studebaker National Museum, the Indiana University South Bend campus, Kamm Island, Beutter Park and Eberhart-Petro Golf Course. Overnight camping is available at St. Patrick’s Park, the northern terminus of the ride. Last year there were 1,926 registered riders coming from 7 states.  Within the state of Indiana, there were registered riders from 17 counties. Bike the Bend is the kickoff event for Michiana Bike to Work Week.

May 20 – Elkhart. The city is inviting people to try three newly established bicycle routes through Elkhart  from 2:00 – 5:00 pm. Riders are meeting at NIBCO Water and Ice Park on the Riverwalk in downtown Elkhart. Cyclists who are considering riding their bicycle to work, will get a chance to experience the Elkhart routes and make suggestions to the city. The city is in the process of making maps available online at the city’s web site www.ElkhartIndiana.org.

May 21 – 25. Michiana Bike to Work Week is the oldest annual urban event in the area. The main highlight is the Corporate Challenge, where teams compete for bragging rights based on how many miles a team can log on their bikes (even public transit miles counts as a bike miles!). In 2011, colleges led the way with three teams in the top ten: Notre Dame, Indiana University at South Bend, and Goshen College. Other highlights of the week are the Tuesday Organic blueberry pancake breakfast, free to those on a bike, and Bike to School Day on May 24.

Goshen. A repeat of last year’s Mayor’s Ride is being planned, but details are forthcoming.

The St. Joseph County Parks Foundation and the Friends of the Pumpkinvine have each received $1,000 from the BMC to support development of their trails.

The Parks Foundation will use the funds for development of the IN-MI Trail, to help fill in the gap between Niles, Mich. and Roseland, Ind. The Park’s segment of this trail, the LaSalle Trail, has not yet started construction, and the BMC donation will be added to their trust fund earmarked for the trail.

The Pumpkinvine Nature Trail meanders between Goshen, Middlebury and Shipshewana in Elkhart County: they will use the funds to help close gaps in the trail. Currently under construction is a 1.2 mile section near Middlebury.

These donations support the BMC’s objectives of encouraging bicycling for commuting and recreation; expanding and improving bicycle infrastructure; and educating citizens and government about bicycle safety, laws and the benefits of cycling. Since the BMC’s inception in 2008, $11,481 has been contributed in cash. This cash has gone to the St. Joseph County Parks, South Bend Bicycle Network, IN-MI Trail, Friends of Granger Paths, and Friends of the Pumpkinvine. In addition to funding and organizing Michiana Bike to Work Week, the coalition has assisted the City of South Bend in developing their bike infrastructure, and cooperated with area non-profits in orchestrating cycling events and providing helmets and bike safety classes for third grade students in area schools.

Sources of funding for the BMC are private and corporate gifts, and an annual fund-raising event. Anyone wishing to make a gift to further the BMC mission can do so at this web site through PayPal, by simply clicking the “PayPal Donate” button at the top right of the page. The coalition is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, and donations are generally  tax deductible. Contributors may direct the BMC to allocate the funds to one of three specific objectives: Infrastructure, Safety, or Events, by mentioning that in the donate window. Contributions may also be made by a check payable to Bike Michiana Coalition, and mailed to BMC, 66841 Walnut Rd., Walkerton, IN 46574.

Wednesday, May 2nd

Call for Riders, Walkers, Drivers and Wheelchair Users in South Bend, Indiana

A coalition of local citizens seeking to promote road-sharing awareness and enhance area transportation safety announces its inaugural Share the Road….Every Life Counts procession, Wednesday, May 2. This event is the first of its kind featuring a positive, proactive approach to urge road-sharing awareness. All citizens are encouraged to join the Share the Road….Every Life Counts procession.

The procession can be joined by bicyclists, motorcyclists and motorists at the Medical Plaza parking lot immediately north of the Indiana 23 Toll Road overpass at 5:30 p.m. Citizens wishing to walk, parents with strollers and wheelchair users will meet at Howard Park at 6:15.

Both legs of the procession will conclude at the north side of the County-City building in downtown South Bend. A news conference highlighting the need for understanding and mutual respect among public transportation pathway users will be held at 7:00 p.m. and will feature procession organizers, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and other elected officials.

For more information please contact Yatish Joshi at yjoshi@gtacontainers.com or at
(574) 288-3459.