GLI Capstone Presentation Session: North UC Ballroom
Missoula Bike Swap: Creating a Step-by-Step Guide - A Community Enhancement Project
Presentation Type
Presentation
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Josh Slotnick
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Environmental Studies
Abstract / Artist's Statement
In 2003, The League of American Bicyclists named Missoula, MT a Bicycle-Friendly Community. Missoula works hard to increase the use of sustainable transportation through various municipal and non-profit programs. Sustainable transportation is part of The City of Missoula’s mission to address global climate change. A strong local business network of bike shops and non-profit organizations promotes sustainable transportation to build a strong bike ethos. To enhance these local efforts to tackle global climate change, a GLI capstone group has teamed up with two Missoula organizations to create the first ever Missoula Bike Swap. The Bike Swap will help families and individuals find inexpensive bike upgrades, and put more bikes into circulation. The Missoula Bike Swap is like a community garage sale, but for bikes: people can sell their old bikes and bike gear, and have the opportunity to buy a new bike. Creating the Missoula Bike Swap required research on similar events nationally. Coordinating the event has required (1) the crafting of a marketing plan; (2) networking among various business sectors (selling sponsorships); (3) volunteer recruitment; and (4) operational/facility coordination. To make this event a lasting and viable part of Missoula’s bike culture, the GLI group is writing a step-by-step guide for holding the event, for Bicycle Walk Alliance for Missoula (BWAM) and Missoula Institute for Sustainable Transportation (MIST or Free Cycles). This guide will include a marketing scheme, a contact list ranging from sponsors to venue options, a sample sponsorship package, volunteer set up and organizational information, and an operations plan. The guide and this presentation, tell the story of the creation of the Missoula Bike Swap, and detail how the SWAP can be held again.
Category
Interdisciplinary (GLI)
Missoula Bike Swap: Creating a Step-by-Step Guide - A Community Enhancement Project
North UC Ballroom
In 2003, The League of American Bicyclists named Missoula, MT a Bicycle-Friendly Community. Missoula works hard to increase the use of sustainable transportation through various municipal and non-profit programs. Sustainable transportation is part of The City of Missoula’s mission to address global climate change. A strong local business network of bike shops and non-profit organizations promotes sustainable transportation to build a strong bike ethos. To enhance these local efforts to tackle global climate change, a GLI capstone group has teamed up with two Missoula organizations to create the first ever Missoula Bike Swap. The Bike Swap will help families and individuals find inexpensive bike upgrades, and put more bikes into circulation. The Missoula Bike Swap is like a community garage sale, but for bikes: people can sell their old bikes and bike gear, and have the opportunity to buy a new bike. Creating the Missoula Bike Swap required research on similar events nationally. Coordinating the event has required (1) the crafting of a marketing plan; (2) networking among various business sectors (selling sponsorships); (3) volunteer recruitment; and (4) operational/facility coordination. To make this event a lasting and viable part of Missoula’s bike culture, the GLI group is writing a step-by-step guide for holding the event, for Bicycle Walk Alliance for Missoula (BWAM) and Missoula Institute for Sustainable Transportation (MIST or Free Cycles). This guide will include a marketing scheme, a contact list ranging from sponsors to venue options, a sample sponsorship package, volunteer set up and organizational information, and an operations plan. The guide and this presentation, tell the story of the creation of the Missoula Bike Swap, and detail how the SWAP can be held again.