Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition is proud to award Nick Laskowski the Santa Clara County 2011 Bike Commuter of the Year Award. Well known in San José Bike Party for pushing for greater advocacy efforts, SVBC member Nick is an avid bicycle commuter who rides his bike to work daily. What makes Nick unique is that he is an 8th grade teacher who creates bicycle field trips for his students. He organizes a group of volunteers to chaperone the field trips to various local colleges and universities. The volunteers also help Nick organize a variety of obstacle courses on their school campus for the kids to learn about bicycle safety, a bit about college life, and simply have fun while riding their bikes with friends.
Nick manages to incorporate bicycling into every aspect of his life and inspires others to be healthy and happy through bicycle riding. He says, “On a bike, the world is within reach, and stopping to check out a new store or say hello to a passing friend become routine events. Cars divide our city both physically and emotionally, pretending to protect us by shielding us from everything interesting and worthwhile. Santa Clara County simply isn't worth living in a car; by bike, it's beautiful.”
Nick will be accepting the Award at the SVBC Bike Away From Work Bash on Thursday, May 12, from 6pm-8pm at The 88 in San José .
San Mateo County BCOY
Marey Richins is a kindergarten teacher and bikes to Nesbitt School in Belmont near Highway 101 from her home in the San Carlos Hills. Richins started cycling to work in 2005. At the beginning of the school year
she pledged to never drive to work and has kept that promise. She currently commutes via bicycle about 95% of the time and walks to work
the remainder of the time. Cycling regularly helps her to train for races-she's currently training for a mini-triathlon in July-and also
helps her to manage her weight.
Richins elaborated. "Biking to work has given me much more than I could have ever imagined. Not only do I receive incredible health and
training benefits, but I see a lot of the same people each day as they take their morning hikes or walk their dogs. I see more of the world around me, giving me the opportunity to marvel at the small things. Once I started cycling I felt so much stronger and experienced less stress, so now I use my bike for much more than the daily commute. I run errands and travel to appointments. It's enriched my life on so many levels."
Richins also takes a special passenger along on her Friday and Monday commutes. Her class has a pet rat which takes the trip home with her
each Friday, and returns back to school on Monday mornings. On Bike to Work Day, several of her kindergarten students will be riding their bikes to school.