It’s not every day you can make a difference for cyclists on the streets of Southern California.
And especially not get something in return when you do.
But that’s what you can do right now when you do your holiday shopping with Amazon.com. And again this Thursday with a silent auction in Costa Mesa co-sponsored by a number of Orange County bike shops.
The funds raised will go to promote bike safety and improve streets for cyclists in Newport Beach, which was recently the site of two cycling deaths in just two days — along with a third near fatality the same weekend.
Better yet, every dollar raised will be matched by the city of Newport Beach on a three-to-one basis through the end of the year, up to $150,000 — an extension of the offer the city made as part of the recent memorial ride for Sarah Leaf and Dr. Catherine Campion-Ritz.
Which means $10 out of your pocket is really worth $40 on the streets. And that $150,000 in donations will mean a full $600,000 in actual improvements.
And that could make a real difference in a city that has been far too dangerous for OC bike riders in recent years.
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First up, since this is Cyber Monday, you can make a donation simply by placing an order on Amazon.
Just click on this link to access the site, and a portion of every dollar you spend will automatically be donated to the Newport Beach Bike Safety Improvement Fund. And it doesn’t matter what you buy, whether it’s bike gear, books, pet food or office supplies. Or virtually anything else your little heart desires.
So you can make a donation simply by buying things you’d get anyway, or justify buying something you’ve long been lusting after. Or by getting a jump on your holiday shopping.
One quick note — once you click the order button, you’ll have to start over from the link above if you want to place an additional order and have your purchase credited to the fund.
Then this Thursday evening, everyone is invited to a silent auction at Surf City Cyclery in Costa Mesa.
You’ll find all kinds of items, from an official Newport Beach “Bikes May Use Full Lane” sign — which I’d recommend wearing on your back while you ride — to a hand-tufted rug valued at $7,500. As well as gift certificates, Angel’s tickets, and a four day, three night wine and cycling trip for two in the Santa Ynez Valley valued at over $2000, courtesy of Wine Country Cycling.
And once again, all the proceeds will go to the Bike Safety Improvement Fund, where they will be matched by the city on a three-to-one basis.
- Date: Thursday Evening, November 29, 2012 from 7 to 9 pm
- Time: Silent and Live Auction Ends at: 8:15 pm
- Place: Surf City Cyclery, 257 E. 17th Street, Costa Mesa, CA
- Bike Shops Participating: Surf City Cyclery, Irvine Bicycles, The Unlikely Cyclist, Pedego, Jax Bicycles, Richards Cyclery, Performance Bike and Bike Religion
- Attire: Casual
- Payment Methods: Credit Cards and Checks will be accepted
- Libations: Appetizers and refreshments will be served
- Items for Auction: Trips, Gift Cards, Bikes (kids bikes, recumbent, cross, road, city, tt and more), sports tickets, and more
- There are also fun items that will be included in a raffle – so everyone has a chance to be a winner.
- Register and view the entire list of items here: http://www.newportbeachmemorialride.com/silent-auction-registration-and-items.html
- Registration is free, however space is limited, so be sure to register to ensure a place.
- Proceeds go to the Bike Safety Improvement Fund and will qualify for the City of Newport Beach’s $3 to $1 match.
Finally, you can still donate directly to the fund by cash, check, debit or credit card. And once again, your donation will be matched three-to-one by the City of Newport Beach.
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One other quick note.
Is it still hit-and-run if you take the victim with you?
A suspected drunk driver ran down a pedestrian in Torrance on Saturday night, then drove another two miles with the victim still embedded on her hood and windshield; 31-year old Torrance resident Phillip Moreno died later at a local hospital.
KABC-7 reports that the driver — a drug and alcohol counselor, no less — was allegedly over twice the legal limit at the time of the collision.
Needless to say, she’s facing charges that include manslaughter and driving under the influence.
But not hit-and-run.
