Moto Crew Event Volunteers Needed

[Tyler]

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention main website.

Out of the Darkness Event Website: www.theovernight.org

I just received the following email asking if I might be able to assist in finding riders to be a part of the Moto Crew for the event. I am planning to participate… this is something that has affected some of the people in my life – some were successful at their attempt and others were not but still struggle with the issues that led them to that. I’ve checked out the website and event info and I feel it a worthy cause and a way to support those who may be struggling and give them hope for the future.

I just spoke with Joe on the phone and said I knew a few people so would put out some feelers to see if there were any folks that might interested in participating in this event either as Moto Crew or in any other volunteer form. If there are enough folks that would like to participate, we’ll organize an informational meeting so everyone can get together, ask questions, plan, etc.

If you are interested, please either post up here in the thread or feel free to send me a PM if you are more comfortable with that. I’ll keep track of everyone and follow up accordingly. Thanks for taking the time to look.

My name is Joe Polizzi and I am the Crew Coordinator for this year’s Out of the Darkness Overnight Walk, which is returning to San Francisco on June 9th-10th, 2012.
The Out of the Darkness Overnight, organized by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, is a 16-18-mile journey through the night, from dusk until dawn. It's a unique opportunity to bring the issues of depression and suicide into the light as thousands of participants walk together to turn heartbreak into hope for tomorrow. Every step they take and dollar raised for the event will help AFSP continue to develop research and educational programs that will benefit those affected by mood disorders and suicide.

We are in need of volunteers with motorcycles to be a part of the Crew who support Walkers along the Route. Motorcycle Safety is tasked with assisting at difficult intersections and alerting Walkers to dangerous situations. While it’s only January, I am working full time to assemble an all-star Crew comprised of community members willing to volunteer their time to the event. I am seeking opportunities to meet with local motorcycle clubs to discuss the event and register interested members.

 

[Tyler]

Planning is in the works to have an informational meeting this Saturday (January 21) during the afternoon at the Sports Basement in Sunnyvale. I will pass along all of the information once the details are finalized. If anyone can show up then, that would be great. We are looking into setting up a conference call so at least people can call in if they can't be there in person. There will more than likely be an additional meeting in February if you're not able to make this one.

 

[Tyler]

All:

Here is the info for this Saturday's meeting for the June event - this is an in person event only (no conference call). Here is the RVSP link.

If you are unable to attend this Saturday, there will be another informational session in February that folks can call and/or log into. I'll keep you updated as information comes available. I have sent this info out via email as well so please check your various inbox folders.

Thanks and look forward to seeing some of you on Saturday!

Cheers,

Tyler

----- Forwarded Message -----From: Joe Polizzi <[email protected]>

Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2012 9:29 PM

Subject: RE: [President] 2012 AFSP Out of the Darkness Overnight Walk

Hi Tyler,

The meeting this Saturday, January 21 is set for 12:30pm at the Sports Basement Sunnyvale location (1177 Kern Avenue Sunnyvale, CA). Any questions, please contact me at (415) 926-7778.

I look forward to meeting you and any others that can attend.

Joe

 

[dcarver]

What does the motocrew do?

Moto around?

 

[Tyler]

What does the motocrew do?

Moto around?

I'll find out more on Saturday but it's for general traffic assistance with intersections, alerting walkers to any issues ahead, herding cats, etc.

 

[El Toro Joe]

What does the motocrew do?

Moto around?

"Motorcycle Safety is tasked with assisting at difficult intersections and alerting Walkers to dangerous situations"

 

[Tyler]

What does the motocrew do?

Moto around?

"Motorcycle Safety is tasked with assisting at difficult intersections and alerting Walkers to dangerous situations"

Jesus, Joe... you actually read all the words???

 

[Tyler]

Hi All:

Attended the info meeting today for this event. Passing on some details for those who are interested in moto crew, other volunteer opportunities (there are lots!), or walking in the event.

1. For moto crew/volunteers - there will be a mandatory training day on Sunday, May 20th. Don't have a location yet.

2. Route - still being finalized but we will have the opportunity to ride the route before the event.

3. Event date is June 9/10. Schedule basically is this:

Noon - 2 p.m. - Crew check in

2 p.m. - Crew meeting

7-7:30 - Start of event/opening ceremony

4 a.m. - End of walk

5 a.m. - Closing/sunrise

4. If you are interested in participating in any way, please go to this link and register as soon as you can:

https://theovernight.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=register.start&eventID=501

You will have the opportunity to indicate what you are interested in (moto crew, volunteer, walker), etc. on that form. Once you are registered, you will be on the mailing list for future information, meetings, etc.

5. There were seven riders at the meeting today. The event organizer would like about 30. If you do sign up for moto crew, please message me so I can add you to my list. I volunteered to head the moto crew up!

6. If the moto crew/team gets full, you may be asked to assist in another capacity. I don't think you will regret it either way!

Here is a video about the event...



Okay, I think that covers it for now! Feel free to contact the organizer, Joe Polizzi, at [email protected] or via phone at 415.926.7778 for additional information. Thanks and look forward to working with everyone on this!

Namaste,

Tyler

 

[Tyler]

Save the Date

2012 Overnight Walk - Kick Off Event

This would be a great time to come and learn about the event and sign up for Moto Crew if you are interested. B)

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Sports Basement - Presidio

610 Old Mason Street

San Francisco, CA 94129

12:00pm - 2:00pm

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFB3QTVibm9nVlZpWmk1WFJuOGtFR0E6MA

RSVP NOW

By attending, you’ll receive all the information you need to take your fundraising, training and Overnight preparations to the next level. Plus, we’ll share how the Overnight Walk continues to make large and hopeful impact in the greater San Francisco area.

Ø Bring a friend or family member with you. They can register on-site*.(Special details below.)

Ø Start a Team or join an Open Team

Ø Attend an Information Meeting

Ø Learn strategies for meeting and exceeding your fundraising goals

Ø Find out where the money goes

Ø Learn more about local training walks and volunteer opportunities

Ø Get to know our Overnight Staff, AFSP Staff, and meet fellow Walkers and Crew members

Don’t delay. Mark your calendars today for Saturday, March 10, 2012. We look forward to seeing you soon.

~The Overnight Staff

Questions or looking for additional information? Contact us at 888-TheOvernight (888-843-6837) or [email protected] or check out theovernight.org for further details.

 

[Tyler]

Just a reminder that the Kick Off event for the Out of the Darkness overnight event is coming up this Saturday, March 10th, from noon-2 p.m. If you haven't already registered and would like to sign up for any of the crews, including the Moto Safety Crew, please go here:

https://theovernight.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=register.start&eventID=501

If you have additional questions, you can contact the event organizer:

Joe Polizzi, Crew Coordinator

Out of the Darkness Overnight Walk

[email protected]

p: (415) 926-7778

Thanks for looking! B)

 

[Tyler]

Thanks to all so far who have stepped up to volunteer their time and energy to a worthy cause... it was lovely to see your smiling faces there today! I was honored to be asked to speak to the group today. I will share it with you here if you are so inclined to read it. There is still need for additional moto crew members if anyone is interested. B)

My name is Tyler Risk. I am 52 years young, the mother of an amazing young woman, and the survivor of a near fatal motorcycle accident in June 2009 when I was run over by a semi. After surviving something I really shouldn't have, I've questioned why I have been given the gift of a second chance and am still here to tell the tale. I've questioned what is my purpose? Why am I still here? What am I supposed to be doing? And this event, The Overnight, has come back as one of the answers to my questions. A purpose. To give back to others. To reach out to others and share the light that I have been blessed to receive. I have been on that dark side but I am still here to say that there is a better time no matter what you may think.
I am also the founder and President of a women's motorcycling group called Dangerous Curves. In January of this year, I received an email from Joe Polizzi, the Crew Coordinator, looking for volunteers for the event's Motorcycle Safety Crew Team. I looked at the website, watched the video, and realized that this was one of those chances to reach out. Reach out to whoever may be out there because we really don't know how sometimes, the smallest gift of smile, an ear, or a caring shoulder can make a huge difference in another person's life. In my journey, I have felt that gift given to me... and I hope to pass that gift on. We each have the power to do that.

The issues at hand strike a chord with me for some very personal reasons. I've known two fellow riders who have ended their lives by self-inflicted motorcycle accidents, leaving questions and regrets and guilt behind it the event's wake... so many people who wished that they could have seen or known that there was a problem and stopped them from doing it. And the emptiness of the loss of that friend, lover, comrade and the enormously loud silence that followed. It did open up a great deal of dialog within the motorcycle community and I was surprised to find out that many people that I knew fairly well struggled with depression and darkness every day. And it helped me to to understand what their battles were like and brought the topic into the open for discussion not like it was some dark secret that no one speaks of.

And then a year ago, all of this struck even closer to home when a close family member attempted suicide... he was only 15 years old... thankfully it was an unsuccessful attempt. But this brought to light that he was suffering from mental illness and was trying to escape the mental pain he was going through every day... and I had no idea. I was a bit shell shocked when I found out because from the outside view, there was nothing wrong with him so the signs of the internal struggles were masked and missed by friends and family. I felt so sad that he had come to the conclusion that that was an answer to his problems. Every day is a challenge with depression, instability, and struggles which many can't understand because there is nothing physically wrong with him. People that look at him from the outside say, so what is the problem? You're just being silly or dramatic or you shouldn't feel like that. Suck it up and get over it, right? But those who understand know it is not that easy when we fight our battles and carry our scars on the inside. It's like they are invisible and oft times dismissed as not important or miniscule when they are definitely not. Mental illness is no one's fault... it isn't a choice... it is a disorder of the brain and those who suffer from it, deserve to be treated as anyone else who has any other disorder that might be more obvious to the naked eye.

I am here to support The Overnight for my family and friends who deal with these issues every day. I am here to help pass on the message that mental illness needs to be addressed and treated as any other illness and not hidden from view because of social stigma. I am here for those who champion beside the people that they love with mental illness every day. I want them, and others like them, to know that they are not alone, that there are others who want to help, and that there is light at the end of that tunnel. I am here to say if you feel depressed, hopeless, powerless, to reach out to a friend or family member or an organizations such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Bringchange2mind.org, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to get help. And if someone comes to you and asks for help, give it and don't dismiss it. It's okay to do that and there is help, there is hope, there is light.

 

[SacramentoMike]

Call this a bump for a good cause. Right now there are a few of us NoCal forum members who are signed up as Moto Safety Crew riders for this event, and they are looking for more. I've never done this before, so I can't give all the answers as to what it's about or what doing it will entail, but it's clearly a worthwhile cause and I'd like to see some more come forward. I don't think you have to have close personal experience with this subject to see the value of it.

The overnight walk is fundraiser for this nonprofit organization; the participating walkers (hundreds, probably thousands of them) each commit to raising money by donations from their own friends and families. Crew and staff are not required to raise funds, although of course it would be welcome. You would be asked to pay to register, since there are expenses involved--food on the overnight walk, t-shirts, etc.--but there was an email today offering a discount to new registrants as staff--motorcycle riders, in our case.

If you're interested, look at the video on this page. It has links to more information and how to register. If you're interested, there is a $15 discount for registering by March 31--so $35 if you use the promotional code "savelives." The walk is "dusk to dawn" on Saturday, June 9, and there will be at least one meeting before that for crew leaders to give specific instructions to participants on their roles. That's in S.F. near the Presidio. Hope some of you can come.