Membership drive exceeds goal, thanks to you!

It's time for all of us here at the Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation to give a hearty round of thanks to all of you who have joined, renewed, or donated as part of MoBikeFed's Fall Membership Drive.

Our goal for the membership drive was 500 new/renewing members.

And the results?

We left that goal in the dust. The final tally was 619 new/renewing members.

As you know, businesses and nonprofits everywhere have been worried about surviving in this economic climate. MoBikeFed's board and staff have been worried as well--because donations to nonprofit organizations are one of the first things that drop when the economy goes into a decline, jobs are lost, or salaries cut.

And that's perfectly understandable, but worrying for organizations like ours--because the same economic conditions that cause memberships and donations to go down, also cause more of us to depend on simple, inexpensive bicycling and walking to fitness, recreation, and transportation when times get tough.

The good news is, your generous memberships and contributions have done the job!

Thanks to your support, MoBikeFed is going full speed ahead as we continue to work on issues and programs that make bicycling and walking easier, safer, and more common in neighborhoods like yours all across Missouri:

• A full legislative agenda for the 2010 session, including Complete Streets, Safe Streets, Safe Passing, and others
• Real, measurable progress towards our Vision of Bicycling and Walking in Missouri
• A large number specific bicycle/pedestrian projects being built all across Missouri--many of them years in the making, and many of which would not have happened if we had not been able to demonstrate real public support for them
• A successful third year of the Tour of Missouri, the state's biggest bicycling event
• Important additions to the Katy Trail network planned, funded, or under construction on the east end, west end, and at Jefferson City.
• Some major networking and advocacy initiatives set to start in 2010, that will allow us to double or triple our effectiveness in working for better, safer bicycling and walking in Missouri. Stay tuned for details to be unveiled in the first part of 2010.

So thank you--together we really are making Missouri a better, safer, more inviting place to walk and bicycle!