Dear Velo Club La Grange Members,
It has been a wonderful experience serving on the board for the past two years. We have grown as a board and continue to encourage each other to be there for the members of Velo Club La Grange. I would love to continue serving as a board member for the club and be of service to its members. Thank you for your consideration.
Bodie Olmos
Dan Mitnick is an avid cyclist and long time LaGrange member who you can see pedaling the streets of West LA and beyond 6 and 1/2 days a week. He just completed his first 2-year term as a board member and was finally figured out how to be constructive. This former racer Is now more focused on commuting and bicycles. Joy for the community at large. I can still be see mixing it up on road and trails.
Dan Mitnick
Hello La Grange Club Members, it's been a great 2 years serving on the board. We designed a sleek looking kit, raised some money and rode a couple centuries for Bike MS as Team La Grange, and put on some fun LG50s and other events. I really like driving the van as long as I don't park it overnight in Santa Monica. Here to be your cheerleader, send you positive vibes, connect you to others, and get you moving! Go, go, go!
Lisa Goldfarb
Find me on Strava, Lisa The Lizard
Nominating Statement: Marco Fantone
Hello La Grange members! Some of you may know me as the ride leader for the Friday morning Marina rides or the person who organizes the Piuma Hillclimb each year and bombards your e-mail inboxes and LG Facebook page with reminders about the upcoming event. I also happen to have a rather sizeable collection of vintage La Grange jerseys that I love sharing with the club each November at our annual banquet! I’ve been a club member since 1997 and was president of Velo Club La Grange from 2009-2012. I’mproud to have been able to contribute to the growth and success of this club over the years. When Ifirst joined, La Grange was a club of just over 100 members with a small squad of racers. Back then,there was no Piuma Hillclimb, no La Grange van, no LG50 rides and no La Grange Facebook pagebecause………..Facebook didn’t exist back then! We are now a club of over 300 members with riders andracers competing in all types of cycling-related events.The success of La Grange is due to active collaboration whether it’s planning for the Piuma Hillclimb, anLG50 ride or assisting on the design of the next La Grange kit. I place a great deal of importance onbeing out on club rides and interacting with riders and racers in all clubs, not just La Grange. And alsobeing accessible by text and e-mail and having board meetings that are open for any club member toattend. The more we can bring people and ideas together, the better our club is. It’s that simple.And that’s why I would like to retain my seat on the La Grange board; to continue motivating bothcurrent club members and those new to our sport and our club to get involved and help make La Grangeas rewarding an experience as possible for all club members.
Marco Fantone
Hi, I’m self-nominating as I understand we wouldn’t have sufficient board members otherwise. This will be my third term as a board member. My goals as a board member have been to maximize the value of organization through responsible fiscal activities and active sponsorship recruitment. I have been successful at this and will stay the course. Quite honestly, serving comes with challenges but I enjoy the sport, our community of cyclists and how the club ties these together. I’m happy to make way to new leadership, but equally pleased to continue to serve.
Dan Funk
Hello La Grange! I’m excited to nominate myself for the Board because I’m passionate about increasing female representation and welcoming more women of all ages into our incredible club. Cycling has become such an important part of my life, and through La Grange, I’ve found not just a sport, but a community and support system. I’m eager to give back by helping to organize more social events like happy hours, dinner rides, and picnics, which will strengthen those bonds.
I’m committed to making the LG50 rides more inclusive, particularly for female and new riders, by establishing clear ride structures with multiple pace groups, ride leaders, and safety protocols—while still giving those who want to hammer the freedom and space to do so. By creating a more welcoming environment for strong female and new riders who may be hesitant to join due to perceptions about safety or the competitive nature of the rides, together we can reshape LG’s reputation as a club where they can feel confident and supported while pushing their limits—just as I have experienced myself.
After speaking with several long-term female members, I’ve found strong support for these goals. They emphasized the need for LG-sponsored no-drop women’s rides, more frequent outreach and recruitment efforts for women and new riders, and more organized and frequent social events to strengthen our community off the bike. Their feedback reinforces my commitment to help create a club where everyone feels included, represented, and supported. Ultimately, my goal is to ensure LG endures as a strong, recognizable cycling club with a lasting legacy of fostering elite talent and unforgettable experiences.
Tara Kriese
