January 02, 2018 - Gary De Kock, co-chairman of the Water for People Committee of the Michigan Water Environment Association, blogs about the 10th annual cycling event held during WEFTEC 2017 in Chicago.
At WEFTEC 2008, George Patrick organized the first WEFTEC Pedal With Purpose cycling event. This event raised funds for Water For People, a WEF charity of choice. That year, WEFTEC was in Chicago which is only 180 miles from my home in Grand Rapids, Mich. To help promote Water For People, I cycled to Chicago in two days and joined the other cyclists for a classic ride along Lake Michigan on Chicago’s Lakefront Trail.
Fast forward to 2017. WEFTEC returned to Chicago and so did Pedal With Purpose, for its 10th annual event. On Sunday, October 1, a total of 39 WEFTEC attendees/cyclists met at Bike and Roll Chicago in Millennium Park. We split up into three groups and headed south on the Lakefront Trail passed Soldier Field and McCormick Place toward Promontory Point.
It was a blue sky day with little wind and lots of sun. The high point of our tour was a visit to the still under construction Northerly Island Park, formerly Meigs Field. The park occupies a peninsula that juts out into Lake Michigan and features wild flowers, prairie grasses, beautiful strolling/cycling paths, casual play areas, fishing piers and a spectacular view of the Chicago skyline. The pathway winds quietly through the natural setting of the park in contrast to the busy rush of the nearby downtown.
In all, we rode 20 miles (32 km) in about three hours. The event continues to attract those who want to support Water For People in an active way that connects them face to face with the host city.
The 11th Annual Pedal With Purpose will be cycled on September 30, 2018, in New Orleans. We will ride 25 miles (40 km) through many classic neighborhoods and quiet parks for views of Lake Pontchartrain and the Mississippi River. Join other WEF members in New Orleans as we Pedal With Purpose!
Pedal With a Purpose riders rode 20 miles in three hours during WEFTEC 2017.
Gary De Kock serves as co-Chair of the Michigan Water Environment Association (MWEA), Water For People Committee. He is a member of the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) subcommittee of the WEF Disinfection and Public Health Committee and was co-Chair of the WEF Social and Humanitarian Causes Task Force. As Vice President of the Friends of the Musketawa Trail, he helps promote cycling and other uses of a 25 mile paved trail in West Michigan. Also as President of the Quiet Water Society, Gary leads this Michigan based non-profit in the promotion of non-motorized outdoor recreation.