Arkansas Bicycle Club News Archives 
Steve Shepherd To Join Orbea! Posted Friday, December 29, 2006 by Ian Hope
Just got word that ABC's very own Steve Shepherd will begin a new career at Orbea! Way to go Steve! The transmutation theory holds true after all. Steve has been employed at Acxiom for a long time now, and will be missed by the noon rock-N-Roll Acxiom crew (also known as the Oblivion Express). Steve often lead The Oblivion Express in the hills of West Little Rock.
"I'm the most excited I've been in my life and looking forward to working with everyone at Orbea!"
Ian
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Website Updates Posted Friday, December 22, 2006 by Ian Hope
Hey Everyone:
Basically we've got a few items left to configure and test.
1. Domain name needs to be transferred.
2. Mailing list has to be configured.
3. Payment gateway has to be tested live. (depends on domain name)
4. Current membership needs to be imported.
5. Mailing list needs to be imported.
6. Pic person has to be trained.
7. News Hounds need to be trained.
8. ABC mailboxes need to be configured.
Probably some other items I'm forgetting at the moment. Not sure but I would guess most of this will happen after the first of the year. You'll need to pay attention to news post as the site will be live with some construction going on.
Thx
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ABC Pre-Party Ride.... Posted Thursday, December 14, 2006 by Ian Hope
The social committee has scheduled the following ride:
Start at 9:00 at the Hillcrest Garden Club on Kavanaugh (location of party). Do the Hillcrest/Heights loop- go over the Big Dam Bridge, then go to NLR. Do one trip up Ft. Roots, then back down, and head out toward either Scott or Keo as time and desire permits.
Will need to finish the ride around 12:00ish, get back to the Garden Club to set-up for the Christmas Party. Any help is greatly appreciated and you will be rewarded with a sense of personal satisfaction that can only come with helping others.
Moderate pace, fast spin fat burner ride. Not sure about the mileage, guessing around 40-45 miles?
Rain=No Ride. If in doubt, give me a ring.
Monty Cole
231.3328
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Website Updates Posted Monday, December 11, 2006 by Ian Hope
Ok...we're really getting close now. We basically need to setup the mailing list. Swap the domain name, and train the ABC admins on how to get around and I think we're there. We still need to test the payment system and we really cannot do that till the domain name is swapped over. The domain name takes a couple of days to switch.
Need to play with using some small pictures here in the news also.
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Dec 16th ABC Christmas Party Posted Sunday, December 10, 2006 by Ian Hope
It is time to start thinking about the annual ABC Christmas party. It is family friendly and we will be at the same location as last year- The Garden Club on Kavanaugh. The date of the party is Saturday December 16th, 2006, from 6:30 pm to 11:00 pm. More on that as the date nears. Check it out over at the calendar.
Website is nearing completion. We still have several items to configure and then we've got to move the domain name which means the site will be offline for a couple of days. Lots of new features will be available including - online membership management, calendar, dynamic ride schedule, etc. etc. We've got more test to run also.
Thx
Ian
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Website Updates Posted Saturday, December 9, 2006 by Ian Hope
Hey Everyone....
We're actively working on the new site. Several items remain to be finished up and final tweaking and testing has to be completed. We probably need to do a useability study before taking the site live also. Stay tuned.
Ian
Update - Online Calendar application is installed now. We'll need to review.
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BACA Fundraising Request.... Posted Tuesday, December 5, 2006 by Ian Hope
ANNUAL BICYCLE ADVOCACY OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS (BACA) RUNDRAISING REQUEST
Although neither dues nor any other financial contributions are required for BACA membership, we do incur costs in our advocacy effort and must seek funds to help defray those costs. Examples of BACA costs include those associated with:
* Maintaining the web-site
* Purchasing liability insurance for BACA events
* Presenting monetary incentives to private citizens (such as the reward for the witness in the Jason Pratt case that led to an arrest and conviction)
* Helping to defray some expenses for attendance by BACA representatives at events such as the National Bike Summit meeting of bicycle advocacy organizations
* Employing temporary part-time assistance for special advocacy events such as our annual Bike to Work Day
* Preparing informational brochures , maps, and other literature promoting bicycle and trail advocacy
* Paying registration fees to publicize BACA at events such as The Natural State Expo and similar exhibitions
* Purchasing stationery, postage, copying, and material for other advocacy activities
* Presenting awards recognizing the contributions of public officials's
*Paying membership fees to national bicycle advocacy organizations
The achievements of BACA have been through the unpaid efforts of volunteers and the past monetary support of our members and friends (we have not solicited funds for nearly two years).
Rather than instituting the typical sophisticated non-profit organization fundraising campaign with in-person or over the phone solicitations, letters and brochures requesting donations, membership categories and related premiums, we would much prefer to limit our fundraising efforts to an annual single e-mail request. AND THIS IS IT!
Please help keep BACA advocating for the interests of bicyclists and other trails users by mailing your contribution now. We are not asking for a set or minimum contribution amount but simply ask that you base your contribution on what you feel you can give, recognition of the need in Central Arkansas for an effective voice for bicycling and trail use issues, and your perception of what BACA has accomplished for the community over the past four years of its existence and will accomplish in the future. Individual contributions from our past fundraising efforts have ranged from $25 to over $1,000 but, again, any amount will help and be much appreciated.
During the four years of BACA's existence we have witnessed many truly wonderful developments for the benefit of bicycling and trail use in Central Arkansas, including:
* Working with Pulaski County to Complete the world?s longest
bicycle/pedestrian bridge
* Development of a Safe Routes to Schools program in cooperation with the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department
* Expansion of the North Little Rock River Trail into the North Shore Business park
* Completion of the Medical Mile portion of the River Trail
* Plans by the Clinton Presidential Center for conversion of the Rock Island Bridge near the Center to a bicycle/pedestrian bridge to complete the River
*Trail loop & plans for similar conversion of the Riverfront Park Junction Bridge
* The city of Little Rock?s creation of a committee of BACA & Arkansas
Bicycle Club members to assist in resolving issues in regard to the location of the Little Rock side of the River Trail
* Protection of the community?s interest in safe convenient access to the River Trail West of Jimerson Creek as it currently exists by opposing opening the trail to motor vehicles
* BACA assistance to the cities of Little Rock, North Little Rock and Pulaski County in planning for new trails and in helping to ensure trail maintenance and safety
* Successful negotiation of continued access for cyclists at Fort Roots by construction of a paved bike path around the recently installed gate
* Working with North Little Rock to plan and implement bicycle/pedestrian facilities in the Argenta and Dark Hallow areas of the city
* Adoption of resolutions by the cities of Little Rock and North Little Rock to apply for League of American Bicyclists recognition as Bicycle Friendly Communities
* Working with Pulaski County to fund and develop a bridge (already designed) over the Little Maumelle River to connect the Little Rock River Trail with Two Rivers Park
Though BACA does not claim to be the prime mover in all of these projects, we have played and are playing a role in the development of all of them.
Please make your check payable to Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas (or BACA) and mail your contribution to:
Steve Shepherd
BACA Treasurer
2720 Charter Oak Road
Little Rock, AR 72227-3004
We will send an acknowledgment thanking you for your contribution so please include your address and e-mail. BACA is in the process of applying for official Internal Revenue Service recognition as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. We have been advised that at its current level of operation BACA is treated as a 501(c)(3) organization and that contributions to BACA are tax deductible.
Thank you very much,
Ron Rizzardi, President, Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas, for the BACA Board
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