2019 La Granger of the Year Nominees

Here are your 2019 La Granger of the Year Nominees in alphabetical order, along with the statements that were sent in nominating each member.

Dan Funk

• I am probably not the best person to be nominating since I’m not very active these days but I think that Dan Funk is such a phenome - he jumped into riding and then racing with such gusto and yet he’s a super nice guy!! These are the qualities that a gal like me cares about.

Dan Funk

Tina Grant

• My vote is for Tina Grant - or ‘Captain T’ as I fondly call her. She is such an amazing race captain - she pushes us, defends us, but always reminds us to have fun. She’s become a great friend off the bike too which is what cycling is all about. I wouldn’t be racing or a member of La Grange if it hadn’t been for Tina.

Tina Grant

Zach LaBry:

• I wish to nominate Zach LaBry for his excellent leadership skills as a captain and execution of the La Grange Grand Prix.

• Zach LaBry is everything we could ever ask for in a La Granger. He can rip your legs off (Overall Winner of the 2018 La Grange Cup), but does so with humility. He has served as a Race Team captain and has been instrumental in the club's support of local racing, in particular track racing (no better way to learn how to race fast, smooth, and clean) and women's racing, as one of the club's strongest advocates for demanding gender equality in local racing. With all that, in 2019 he stepped it up another level and made the inaugural 2019 La Grange Grand Prix at the Porsche Experience Center a resounding success. As LGGP Race Director, Zach was able to lead a great team of La Grange volunteers in pulling off something that quite literally ** no other bike club has ever accomplished ** - a bike race at a Porsche race track. A man of many talents, Zach LaBry is my pick for 2019 La Granger of the Year.

Zach LaBry

Thomas Larson

• I would like to nominate Thomas Larson. With everything he has been through he still thinks of others. Dan funk sent a message out about a member needing to borrow a cross bike and Thomas has graciously lent me his cross bike. A genuinely good dude with amazing perseverance.

Thomas Larson

Dani Monahan

• I wish to nominate Danielle Monahan for La Granger of the year. Dani’s overwhelmingly positive attitude shines in her participation as a racer, team captain for the women's race team, and relationship builder inside LG and building relationships with outside clubs as well. Dani is a tireless teacher on rides and at races. She encourages everyone to feel and do better, sharing her unshakable outward positivity as a self declared humanist.

Daniele Monahan

Sam Selfridge

• I nominate sam selfridge.

• I wish to nominate Sam Selfridge. I travel a lot for work so I don’t get to many LG events these days. But it seems like every thing I’ve attended this year has been run by our awesome board members and ... Sam!!

• I nominate Sam. He’s a super active participant in every single event, seems to take a genuine interest in other people having fun and improving their riding. In addition, he’s a phenomenal rider himself. Lastly, more often than not, he’s seen in Lagrange kit (when he’s not wearing the hideous other stuff :-)

• I would like to nominate Sam Selfridge since he has been such an incredible supporter of the 4/5 race team, cyclocross, and all member events. He does some great vids as well!

• I nominate Sam Selfridge. He is a great rider, super friendly, helpful, talked to me about joining La Grange, put on a great cyclocross clinic, has a bell on his bike and an all around good dude!

Sam Selfridge

2020 Board of Directors Results

Dear Members,

The results of the recent Board of Directors elections are in and you re-elected the four returning directors (Jaycee Cary, Jan Datomi, Robert Efthimos, and Rich Hirschinger). Each will serve a two-year term beginning at next month's Board meeting.

Thank you to Renee Engelhardt and Marco Fabrizio for their willingness to serve and thank you to Alan Eskovitz and Marc Lewinstein for administering a smooth election. Finally, thank you to all of the many members who took the time to vote and have their voice heard!

Here are the four newly-elected directors that will join our other five directors on the Board:

Jaycee Cary

Jan Datomi

Robert Efthimos

Rich Hirschinger

2020 La Grange Board of Directors Nominees

Here are the six candidates, in alphabetical order, that are running for the four open seats for the 2020 La Grange Board of Directors

Jaycee Cary

Hey LG,

I am running for re-election for the La Grange Board of Directors. It has been my honor to serve you for the last two years. I am proud to represent the LG membership and as always, I will act with integrity, transparency, and honesty as I advocate in the best interests of Velo Club La Grange, now and in the future

Thank you.

Jaycee Cary

Jan Datomi

I see cycling as the cherry on the life’s sundae. It’s freedom from life’s other hardships and burdens. And being part of La Grange makes it even better. I see being on the La Grange board as an opportunity for me to help facilitate La Grange’s substantial and positive influence in the local cycling community. I would say I represent the non-racer part of the club, and my focus as a board member, is to bring as many fun events to the all the club members. I also am committed to promote safety and inclusiveness to all cyclists regardless of their experience level. Being on the La Grange board is about volunteering to organize and run club events. I believe my track record has shown my willingness and ability to do so. I ask for your vote so I can continue to work for this amazing club.

Jan Datomi

Robert Efthimos

2013: Joe Camacho encourages me to run for the LG board of Directors. With a demanding job, a baby on the way, and training commitments aimed at Cat 4 masters racing glory, I tell him "no way." Joe says I can just show up to meetings and offer up pearls of wisdom to help manage the club. I say "OK."

2014, one year later: Like a scene out of the movie "Dave" or the TV show "Designated Survivor," I somehow end up President of the club and find myself doing everything from sorting and bagging kit, to answering emails from overseas fondo promoters, to arbitrating disputes over sock lengths. While these tasks are of course mission critical, at the same time our deep and talented cast of La Grange contributors manages to expand and democratize our race program, completely redesign our website, bring back La Voix, design some badass kits, organize a variety of all-club rides and off-bike events, and get our club's kit on Zwift, all while maintaining core values of community, generosity, inclusivity, and respect for our fellow cylists and other humans. And coyotes.

2018, one year ago: While there were no calls for my impeachment (that I'm aware of!), I step down as President in advance of 2019, La Grange's 50th anniversary year. It was important to me that my successor be poised for success. I hope you will agree that Rich, the rest of the board, and the entire La Grange membership really stepped up and made LG50 not only a great year, but a time to be proud to be a La Grange members.

Today: While I'm happy with what we've accomplished, it's important that we keep up the momentum and always ask ourselves how we can do better. I promise I'll ask the same of myself if elected to continue to serve on the club's board of directors.

Robert Efthimos

Renee Engelhardt

Hello LaGrange! I've been cycling (racing and recreational) for 11 years. In the past 2+ years that I've been a member of LaGrange and new to LA cycling, LaGrange and its members have been so welcoming to me with bountiful opportunities to be a part of the community including the race team, group rides, skills training, and the awesome 50 for 50 rides. I've witnessed the sport evolve over the years, and I believe I have the experience and perspective to contribute to the board to ensure LaGrange stays ahead of the sport and continues to deliver the experiences, opportunities and community that is its legacy. Simply put, I want to help create the most positive experience for what we all love: riding our bikes.

Renee Engelhardt

Marco Fabrizio

Like many I found cycling and racing, and in some way’s it saved my life. When I say cycling, I really mean La Grange. In 2012 I joined the club, after delaying in 2011 because of that infamous Herbalife jersey that no member wanted to wear let alone prospective members. Through my journey with La Grange I rode thousands of miles, raced dozens of crits, fell off the back of many road races, podiumed some stage races, and even did a few track events. Over this time, I made friends and acquaintances; found this identity as a racer, and was even able to tie my other passion of design with the club. Some of you may know that for the past couple of years I have been the club’s liaison with Castelli. I process any of the issues that members have with their kits, and make sure that our wonderful sponsor Castelli takes care of it. Some of you might also know that in tandem with my good friend Jaycee Cary we designed the coveted La Grange 50th Anniversary kit, and along with that we also gave our prestigious LG Cup winners jerseys a facelift and created the La Grange Grand Prix winners jersey. Stay tuned because Cary-Breezy has a special surprise for the LG2020 Kit!!! In this process I have attended countless board meetings and really started to find my way deeper behind the scenes of what makes our club so great. I would like to continue to work for this club, and bring our members more of what they want. I have plans to bring members more cool LG apparel like hats, t-shirts, hoodies and more of the casual apparel that everyone loves to sport while representing the club off the bike. Jaycee and I also have plans to introduce some limited edition items that you’ll be sure to want to get your hands on. In short, Vote for Marco Fabrizio!

Marco Fabrizio

Rich Hirschinger

When people ask me what I like about cycling, I like to say, “it was the first thing that sets you free as a kid.” A great quote from Robin Williams is, “It’s the closest thing I have found to flying.” I have been riding with La Grange since the late 1980’s. I think I am one of the half dozen members who can still say they rode with Raymond. I have always enjoyed being a member of the club and when I was asked to consider being on the Board, I wasn’t sure I would be able to contribute much. When Robert stepped down, and I took over as President, I thought it would be like trying to replace a legend like Vin Scully, Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan, etc. Well, the Board has made it very easy for me and the fact that it was our 50th year also made it easy since we had so many events to create. I truly have enjoyed serving the club and would be happy to continue to serve if y’all like what we are doing.

Rich Hirschinger