Got this in the email, this could be your chance to help His Honor, Da Mayor and Nicole Freedman out with their many bike programs!

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Dear Fellow Cyclists,

As part of one of the greater Boston areas many cycling clubs, I am writing to ask for your group’s support in making Boston the best bicycling city in the world.

Please consider helping us by volunteering at Mayor Menino’s Boston Bikes numerous events this year. We need all kinds of assistance from experienced cyclists and would love to see you out there with us this Spring and Summer. Please pass this notice along to your members’ list so we can get as many of Boston’s cyclists involved as possible.

Here’s a brief list of our planned activities and the volunteer needs that we have.

Boston Bike Week – Friday, May 21 – We are looking for signage volunteers and experienced ride leaders.
Bike Fridays – Friday, June 25, July 30, August 27 – We are looking for signage volunteers and experienced ride leaders.
Hub On Wheels – Sunday, September 26 – We are looking for signage volunteers, stationary route marshals (willing and able to join the ride once the last participant passes their station), and lead and sweep ride leaders.
TD Bank Mayor’s Cup Professional Race – Sunday, September 26 – We are looking for race course marshals and staging area volunteers.

You can find out more information on all our events and goings on at www.bostonbikes.org, along with a direct link to our volunteer registration site through the ‘Volunteer’ tab. Thanks for getting involved and for making Boston a great cycling city.

Thanks so much,

Amy McGuire
Volunteer Coordinator

VOLUNTEER FOR THE BIKE-A-THON
Meeting April 15th

Bikes not bombs Bike-a-thon is coming up, if you aren’t riding but want to help out with some logistics planning, come to the Rider Support and Route Committee meeting Wednesday night April 15th, 7pm at the Bikes Not Bombs Hub.

Basic logistical areas to cover will be:
• Route Marking and Maps
• Rest Stops
• Following vehicles
• Ride support communications
• Mechanic support
• Medical / First Aid support for riders
• Food serving and Post ride, rider-support-area set up
• Bike Parking
• Rider send-off logistics support for each ride

Please contact Carl if you are interested in attending on April 15th or want to volunteer in the future for some of these tasks: carl@bikesnotbombs.org. These are roles for volunteers who will help plan logistics in advance. Closer to the date BNB will have many more roles for people who just want to sign up to have a role on the day of the Bike-A-Thon and Festival.

Another awesome Bikes Not Bombs event:

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HELP SEND BIKES TO NEVIS ISLAND
Saturday April 4th

On Saturday April 4th Bikes Not Bombs volunteers will load a 40′ shipping container full of bicycle aid for the Bikes Not Bombs Earn-A-Bike program on Nevis Island in the Caribbean. We start at 10:30 am and work until we finish, which we expect to be 3:30 or 4:00pm. We’ll take a break around 1pm for a pizza lunch (provided) and a short talk about the project. Volunteers can come for any part of this time that works for you. Experience not required. We’ll be moving, sorting, and loading bikes, wheels, and spare parts. You may wish to bring work gloves.

Bikes Not Bombs established this youth program in Nevis in 2007, using the shipping container of the bikes to create a building to house the workshop. Youth groups from 6 different towns have been using the workshop, and these groups are hoping for expansion so they can have their own hometown program. Two of the youth trainers at the program are currently applying for visas so they can visit Bikes Not Bombs in Boston for 3 weeks, learning and sharing in our youth programs here, and taking this knowledge back to expand their programs.

SAVE THE DATE: Wednesday April 1st! (pending visas)
Presentation from visiting Nevis Earn-A-Bike trainers, about the Bikes Not Bombs youth program there. Also a talk by Carl Kurz on his visit to the BNB partner project in Tanzania.

DIRECTIONS:
This event does NOT happen at Bikes Not Bombs, but is just around the corner. We will be loading from a big parking lot at 179 Boylston St., Jamaica Plain, 2 blocks from the StonyBrook T stop on the Orange Line. Coming from the BNB HUB at 284 Amory Street, turn right on Amory (which puts you travelling away from the Green St T stop, towards the StoneyBrook T stop). Turn right on Boylston Street (where the StonyBrook T stop is on your left) and then turn right into a large parking lot which is part of the Brewery Complex. You’ll see our 40 ft. shipping container parked in this lot, just off the street.

MassBike Volunteer Night: March 11, 2009

Do you enjoy hanging out with fellow cyclists, conducting sparkling conversation, and eating pizza with a refreshing Harpoon beer or soda? Then you won’t want to miss Volunteer Night on Wednesday, March 11th, from 5-8pm. It’s a chance to have some fun and help MassBike with a few easy administrative tasks. The more help they get from volunteers, the more time MassBike staff can spend making bicycling better. Just let them know you’re coming so they know how much pizza to order! RSVP to james@massbike.org or call them at 617-542-2453. The MassBike office is located at 171 Milk Street, Third Floor, in Boston’s Financial District. The closest T Stations are Aquarium and Government Center.

For more info, click here.

Below is a MASSSSSSSSIVE update on all things Bikes Not Bombs, enjoy. There is a lot of goodness in here so be sure to take a look through it all.

BOOKKEEPER JOB AT BNB

Bikes Not Bombs is looking for a bookkeeper to work 10-16 hours per week. Experience with QuickBooks required. Must have excellent attention to detail. This is a temporary position, with the potential to grow into an expanded, full-time position encompassing financial management and human resources in 2009. Please send your resume to hiring@bikesnotbombs.org or call Sam Wechsler at 617-522-0222, x105 for more information. Position to be filled as soon as possible.

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SEE BNB MOVIES ONLINE

Some volunteer filmmakers have recently completed 2 very short documentaries about BNB’s work. These are both amazing films that really bring out the vibrant community of young people and volunteers here, giving a real glimpse into BNB’s work. Don’t watch just one – see them both, at http://www.bikesnotbombs.org! (scroll down to find the films)

A big thanks to Allegra Anderson for her 6 minute documentary, viewable on the BNB website homepage and also at http://vimeo.com/1706577

Assembly Required: One Peace at a Time from Bikes Not Bombs on Vimeo.

And a big thanks to Rahil Calcuttawala and Sheryl Lanzel for their short documentary, viewable on the BNB website homepage and also at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRzSvVXVYrM

If you want to see Rakim and Sheryl’s other work, check out: rakimagery.com and sheryllanzel.com

much much more below.

(more…)

That’s right, if you come help out doing valet bike parking at the Bicycle Film Fest this Saturday you get a whole lot of free stuff. Got this email below.

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Hello Everyone

We are in urgent need of people to help out Saturday for the valet bike parking for the bicycle film fest. Not only will you be given the chance to park some of the finest bikes (maybe), but you will be given a t-shirt (maybe more than one), free entrance to the movies (on the shift you are not working), free entrance to the after party, AND a free beer once you get there.

You know you want to help!

We are looking for people to take any one of the following shifts.

1-3pm
3-6pm
6-9pm
9-11pm

We need people for every one of these shifts. Be sure to include your name, phone number, and t-shirt size if you can help out.

Thanks a million!

Shane Jordan
Director of Education and Outreach
MassBike
171 Milk Street, Suite 33
Boston, MA 02109
Phone: 617-542-BIKE (2453)
Fax: 617-542-6755
Email: shane@massbike.org

Thats right the film fest is coming to Bean town this year. Get your act together and come help out!

Got this in the mail today from Seth who is not only awesome, but organizing the show here in town this year.

Greetings from the Bicycle Film Festival in Boston!

The Festival is coming up fast and its time to start getting organized. The key to the success of the BFF has always been the strength of its volunteers and this will be especially important in Boston as we get the Film Festival on its feet.

Please join me Monday the 21st, 7pm at The Other Side cafe. We will go over the schedule and events for the BFF and start to assign tasks for volunteers.

Please feel free to pass this invitation along to anyone interested.

This is going to be awesome and I hope you all will be involved!

Seth Davis, Boston Producer
8th Annual Bicycle Film Festival
617 281 3067
seth@bicyclefilmfestival.com

So get your ass over to the Otherside on the 21st and be ready to help out!

Volunteers Needed!

Contact Membership Coordinator Dorothy Fennell to sign up for any of these volunteer opportunities, or call MassBike at 617-542-BIKE.

MassBike Volunteer Night: Tuesday, May 13
Come to our office in Boston for beer, pizza and fun during our monthly volunteer night!

Bay State Bike Week Water Bottle Stuffing: Wednesday, May 14
Get set for “round two” of stuffing water bottles with schwag for Bay State Bike Week. Join us between 5:30pm-9pm on the 9th floor of Boston City Hall in room 937. Enter through the rear entrance on Congress Street. Food provided!

Ski Market Bike Swap: Saturday, May 17
The Ski Market on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston is hosting a bike swap to benefit MassBike. We need help managing a table at the event between the hours of 10am-6pm.

Redbones Bike Party & Benefit: Monday, May 19
From 4-10pm we will be at the Redbones Party in Somerville, and we are still looking for a few more hands to help out with bike parking and managing the booth.

Bike Bash: Wednesday, May 21
We are looking for some folks to help out with the Commuter Challenge closing party in Cambridge where we award those folks who were commuting all week. MassBike needs assistance with managing the bike parking.

Below are a list of some great Volunteer opportunities that you can jump on. I have it on good account that there is always free pizza AND BEER at these things (at least the ones put on by MassBike I am pretty sure that the other ones don’t BUMMER!). The below text was send to me in an Email. Get back to Dorothy at MassBike if you are interested in any of these (dorothy@massbike.org)

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1) BayState Bike Week- we need your extra hands for all sorts of jobs

Bay State Bike Week is just a few weeks away and at the MassBike office we are entering the home stretch. We have the following task to take care of, when you respond please let me know which one you are available for.

1. Stuffing the Bay State Bike Week “Goody” Water Bottles

On Tuesday, May 6th (the regular MassBike Volunteer time 5pm-8pm) we will be assembling the Bay State Bike Week “Goody” Water Bottles. The Water Bottles will include bike related schwag that will be distributed to Bike Week participants; make sure you register: you, your friends, your neighbor’s cat, etc….

You can register for Bay State Bike Week HERE

2. Assembling the Bay State Bike Week Spoke Cards

Also on Tuesday, May 6th at the MassBike office we aim to be assembling the Spoke Cards for Bay State Bike Week. In the
event that you are not familiar with Spoke Cards, think of when you were a kid and use to stick baseball cards in your spokes.

3. Leading/ assisting with the Bicycle Convoys that begin at points outside of Boston and end at Government Center

On the morning of Friday, May 16th, there will be a number of Bicycle Convoys that will be making their way from points outside of Boston in to government center. Think of this as a “bicycle train”; the ride makes pre-determined stops along a mapped out route where cyclists can either join or break away from the group.

We need assistance with the routes: handing out waivers, keeping riders together, etc.. And the routes are as follows:

Dorchester, Allston, JP, West Roxbury/ Roslindale. We are also specifically looking for two-three volunteers to lead the Cambridge convoy. The route will begin on the Min. Man path right beyond Alewife and depart around 7:15/ 7:30am.

All other departure times will be around the same time. Please note that the convoys will be traveling at a easy pace so as to accommodate all levels of cyclists.

4. Signing up to be a “Bike Buddy”

We are looking for experienced cyclists (read: you are comfortable leading another person on bike) to be “Bike Buddies”. Veterans like yourself are encouraged to take the lead by finding a non-cyclists friend and volunteer to be his/her personal cycling guide and mentor for one day, or if you are both up for it, the entire Bay State Bike Week. All that is required is door-to-door service and lots of encouragement!

Flexibility is key with this job. It might mean you go 20 mins out of your way to accommodate your “buddy’s” schedule. But, keep in mind, that extra attention might be just the thing that gets your buddy from thinking about bicycle commuting to actually bicycle commuting. So, please budget the extra time needed to help your “buddies” feel comfortable.

5. Government Center, MassBike Tent, Friday May 16th

MassBike will be managing the final destination point –Government Center– for all the bicycle convoys. We will need assistance from 7am-10am on handing out “goody bottles”, food, etc….

2) Counting Bicyclists with the Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS)

On Saturday May 3rd & Tuesday May 6th, The CTPS will be conducting users (cyclists, walkers, skaters, etc..) counts on the the below listed trails and MassBike is lending a hand to find volunteers. We need your help! These counts will not only indicate existing usage but also help to predict volumes on future facilities. The CTPS will provide all of the necessary equipment; if it rains, no worries, there will be a rain date!

Please be in touch as to what date you are available and which path (if any works best for you)

1. Dr. Paul Dudley White Path (Charles River)
2. Minuteman Bikeway
3. Cape Cod Rail Trail
4. Norwottuck
5. Upper Charles Trail
6. Nashua River Rail Trail
7. Assabet River Rail Trail
8. Shining Sea Trail
9. Cape Cod Canal
10. Mass Central
11. Ashuwillticook River Trail

3) Counting Bicyclists on the Somerville Community Path

Steve Winslow with the City of Somerville is looking for volunteers to do bike counts on Saturday, May 3rd. The counts will focus on the Community Path but also on other streets around the city. If you’re interested in helping, please contact Steve directly. His e-mail address is SWinslow@somervillema.gov.

Wrench Nepal runs a small bike shop in Kathmandu, Nepal, that is operated by bike mechanic ‘interns’ — Nepali teenagers who, for any reason, are in danger of entering adulthood without marketable job skills, or are otherwise at a disadvantage.

There are over 400 homes in Kathmandu alone for children who have been orphaned or abandoned by their families. At the moment, Wrench Nepal works with kids from a drop-in shelter and a group that supports the families of those in prison, with a seemingly endless supply of possible new interns: teenagers eager to learn a useful skill, to practice their English, and to become self-sufficient. With only one person training them, however, the shop cannot work with more than 2-3 people at a time. That’s where you come in.

They’re looking for two people at a time to act as bike mechanic instructors and program organizers. Two positions are available to be filled immediately; the second shift will be open in May, when the current instructor’s visa expires.

The requirements are:
– Working knowledge of basic bike mechanics
– Good communication and organizing skills
– Willingness to live in a foreign environment and work with people from a very different culture

Bike shop or co-op experience is a major advantage, as is experience in business administration or community activism. Grant writing skills will be helpful. Each position is for approximately 4 months and requires that you live in Kathmandu. As this is an all-volunteer program, there will be no pay, and any profit that the shop raises will be distributed among the Nepali interns for things that they need as future bike mechanics. Cost of living is very low, rent in a comfortable place can be as little as $50 per month. Volunteers can also pursue part-time paid work to support themselves while in Nepal. Wrench Nepal encourages those of you who are presently enrolled in universities to consider this as a possible independent study abroad opportunity.

Wrench Nepal will work with the administration at your school to determine if this can be a for-credit internship for you. If you do not have mechanic skills, they may still be interested in your participation as an organizer.

If interested, please send a brief resume of your relevant experience and a short cover letter to tom@wrenchnepal.org. Make sure to highlight your experience working with bicycles and working in community organizing positions.

I have posted a bunch of MassBike volunteer opportunities to the calendar (over on the right), if you want some super sweet events to help out at, be sure to check them out!