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Two weeks ago, 13 advocates from seven Midwest bike/ped organizations gathered in Davenport, Iowa for an Alliance Winning Campaigns Training.

Hosted by the Iowa Bicycle Coalition and facilitated by veteran bike/ped advocate Dave Snyder and Alliance CEO Jeff Miller, participants had two and a half days to develop their campaign strategy, learn from fellow organizers, and – of course – bike along the Mississippi River.

“This training helped me become a better leader and advocate for bicycling,” said Jessica Giard from the South Dakota Bicycle Coalition. Giard not only worked through the development of a complete streets campaign, but also said she plans to apply what she learned to other aspects of her burgeoning organization.

Campaigns that were addressed by other training participants included 3-foot passing laws, Safe Routes to School, mandatory training for all crossing guards in Iowa, and working with a state DOT to update drivers’ license manuals and exams to include questions about biking and walking.

Not knowing what a campaign was before the Friday evening session of the course, Ruth Myers from Active Transportation Alliance in Chicago said she now has a clear blueprint, identified targets, manageable goals, and is well on her way to work on improving Chicago metro stations to be more accessible to cyclists and pedestrians. “Whether you are a novice advocate or an old hand, you’ll learn something from this course,” she said.

Heed the advice of Wes Ridgeway from the Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation: “If you want to participate in projects in a positive way, please take this training.” Join the many organizations and advocates who have participated in and grown from the Alliance’s Winning Campaigns Trainings and sign up for the upcoming training in Baltimore, MD, May 13-15. Early registration ends today, so register online for a discounted weekend price.

This affordable training wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of our sponsors: Planet Bike, VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations, SRAM, Bikes Belong, AARP, Alta Planning + Design, Team Estrogen, Sun Bicycles and Specialized. Sponsorship opportunities are still available; click here for more information.

We hope to see you in Maryland next month!