Here are the candidates for the La Grange Board Election beginning September 18, 20201.
PLEASE VOTE!
(candidates listed in alphabetical order)
Bill Birrell
Club Member since 1993. La Granger of the Year 2009.
I’ve been passionate about cycling since watching Eddie Merckx in the 1968 Olympics. My orange Schwinn Varsity soon gathered dust because in Rye NY there was no one to ride with. I rode on and off through school, but never found a steady group of similarly motivated riders. I finally found my jam when Bill Mock rode up next to me on San Vicente and told me of the club rides. He sold me a “blobby” jersey out of the back of his Honda after my first Friday ride and I was hooked. Claude Innocente found out I was a studio executive and recruited me for the board in the mid-’90s to help him negotiate sponsorship deals. The deals with Helens and Robert Forster PT proved to be longstanding pillars of the club’s success. Through Claude, I met Raymond Fouquet and learned of the old world heritage of Velo Club LaGrange. Years later I put together a crew of Edgar Burcksen (editor) and Bill Pitcher (cinematographer) to make The Ride, a documentary about the roots of the club. If you haven’t seen it, please check it out on the club website. On the bike, my engine proved to be more of diesel than an F1, so I focused on ultra events: doubles, Furnace Creek 508 (DNF), and then discovered the TransAlp. I wanted to help other cyclists achieve their potential and I earned my USCF Coach certification. Mark Thomas and I held bike handling clinics to help folks keep the rubber side down. My coaching led to co-founding with Bob Rasner Grand Masters Cycling, an off-shoot of VCLG.
I want to be a board member once again to help the club help our members. Cycling takes us to so many wonderful places, leads us to meet so many fascinating people. The isolation of the pandemic has underscored my experience that the social aspects of the club keep all of us coming back. "See you at the ride tomorrow" is strong medicine. My goal is to enhance the way the club gives back to its members and honor the traditions that made Velo Club LaGrange what it is today. I hope to have the opportunity to serve you.
Jaycee Cary
I submit myself for re-election to the La Grange Board of Directors. It has been my honor to serve the La Grange membership in a variety of positions over the years. There is no doubt that this is a lot of work, but I volunteer my time and energy to La Grange because I want this club to be vital, valuable, and great. Raymond’s legacy deserves nothing less. This only happens if we all invest our passion and enthusiasm. I will continue to vigorously support the La Grange efforts of inclusion, equality, competition, and community and will lead with transparency, fairness, and integrity. Thank you.
Jan Datomi
I’ve really enjoyed my time on the La Grange board, and I am kindly requesting another term. For me, La Grange represents the things I enjoy the most, fitness, fun and community. My goal as a board member is to provide members with as much fun and value as possible. Seeing members enjoy and feel challenged by La Grange events is what makes being on the board so worthwhile for me. I have been fortunate enough to have been president of La Grange these last six months, and would love to continue on. I believe I process the organizational skills to help keep La Grange moving forward. Please take the time to vote and please help me continue to work for La Grange by voting for me. Thanks.
Jonathan Rios
Jonathan is an avid cyclist and triathlete. As a relatively new member of La Grange, he was hooked after a full summer of racing on the LG Race Team and participating in two parts of the LG Cup. The cycling community is very strong and La Grange represents the pinnacle of bringing people together over a mutual activity.
Outside of the world of cycling, Jonathan is a skilled nonprofit professional specializing in fundraising for the arts and works directly with boards of all scopes and sizes. He hopes to bring his nonprofit expertise to La Grange to ensure the continued success of the club while continuing to to engage our membership at all levels. Beginning on October 1st of this year, he will also begin a three year term on the Board of Directors of the Association of California Symphony Orchestras.
Robert Yates
Though covid is still ever-present in our lives and group activities, I have really enjoyed being able to contribute to the board and the club. I am proud of the work we did with the town hall on stopping AAPI hate, and more recently thoroughly enjoyed supporting our members by sagging the LG50 ride. As the world becomes more "normal" and steps out of Zooms and more into the real world, I would love the opportunity to continue giving my time and energy to the board, the club, and its members.
Now that I am back in LA, and I am able to settle more into my role, I look forward to sharing some of the invisible burdens the more established board members carry that keep the club running smoothly.
