Volunteer

The VBPC is always in need of volunteers in our Montpelier office and around the state.  Especially during the summer months, volunteers are needed to staff the VBPC table at events all across the state, helping spread the word about sharing the road and bike & pedestrian issues with your neighbors. We also have numerous mailing parties throughout the year in our Montpelier office and can always use more hands.

E-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to discuss volunteer opportunities.
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

If you have a special talent, hobby or profession that could be of use to a small non-profit, please donate your services!  We can always use photographs of bicylcing, walking and running in Vermont, graphic design abilities and more.  Please contact us if you are willing to help!

Pick Up Pro

Norm Reuss leans on his trusty Bike Friday complete with trailer in which he deposits roadside trash. Reuss has collected over 2100 redeemable bottles and cans and has given the cash to three women in need in Addison County.

(Photo courtesy of Norm Reuss)

LEAP (Local Energy Action Partnership) event

The Coalition provided maps and literature at a variety of special events this summer, including the LEAP (Local Energy Action Partnership) event in Waterbury, shown above.

(Photo courtesy of Valerie Bluhm).

Do You Like to Work with Your Hands?

Many bike shops throughout Vermont have Coalition countertop displays, but many do not. In an attempt to construct more displays, the Coalition is seeking donations of wood, black paint, Lucite brochure holders, glue that will bind glass and metal, clean, empty cat food tins, and clean, empty Nantucket Nectar juice bottles. More important than the materials are the volunteers who will cut and paint the wood before gluing and screwing the components together. If you like to work with your hands and want to assist with this project, please contact Nancy Schulz at 225-8904 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

A Smile to Remember: A Tribute to Guy Amundsen

On Sunday, January 24, a lone bugler played “Taps” in the woods while a long stream of skiers looped around a meadow following a leader who carried the Norwegian flag. The site was Ole’s Touring Center in Warren where many had gathered to celebrate the life of Guy Amundsen. Guy died of a heart attack at Ole’s on January 14 while re-certifying to be a PSIA cross-country ski instructor.

Guy Amundsen had an energetic bounce to his walk, a twinkle in his beautiful blue eyes, and a playful smile. The office of the Vermont Bicycle & Pedestrian Coalition is filled with Guy’s volunteer gifts: the plywood he cut to turn a sink into a work space, the tabletop bike shop displays he sawed, painted, screwed, and taped, the newsletters he prepared for mailing, the literature he distributed at special events. Guy was a committed volunteer for the VBPC, but the Coalition was just one of many organizations, businesses and events to which Guy contributed. Others included the Green Mountain Stage Race, the Burlington Marathon, the Green Mountain Club Trekkers, the MS Society, and Ole’s Touring Center.

Guy was the engine behind the Stowe Bike Club century ride, which was his baby. He wasn’t the fastest cyclist but he believed in working hard at time trials in hopes of becoming a stronger cyclist. He also led touring rides for the SBC. One of Guy’s favorite quotes was from H.G. Wells: “When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race”.

In the mid-90s, Guy applied to become a leader with Vermont Bicycle Touring. He took his responsibility as a tour leader very seriously and was often up at 4:30 am, filling water bottles and adjusting gears while tour guests slept, blissfully oblivious of his ministrations.

Guy had an unusual mixture of qualities. He was an ex-Marine, who celebrated the Marine Corps’ birthday every year, and sported a ponytail. He was passionate about bicycling and cross-country skiing, but also cars. He had been a car salesman at one point in his life, probably the most authentic and honest car salesman to ever walk the planet.

Never one to “beat around the bush,” Guy could be counted upon to offer frank assessments. He often expressed dismay at dirty rear derailleurs and dry chains. He was as meticulous with the maintenance of his bikes, his skis, and his car as he was with his own body.

Guy’s stalwart volunteerism on behalf of the VBPC included mailing parties, tabling at special events such as Earth Day and the Sports and Fitness Expo, and participating in or leading the “Ride of Silence.”

Guy loved to bicycle along Route 100B from his home west toward Waitsfield. He racked up thousands of miles enjoying its wide shoulders and rolling, scenic views. He called it “my road.” When you pedal along Route 100B in the Mad River Valley, please remember the man with the peppy walk, the sweet smile, and the beautiful blue eyes.

Expressions of sympathy may be sent to Guy’s long-time partner, Ann Rago at 1486 River Road, Montpelier, VT 05602. Memorial contributions may be made to National Multiple Sclerosis, 75 Talcott Road, Suite 40, Williston, VT 05495. Your browser may not support display of this image.

Prior to his death on January 14 from a heart attack, Guy Amundsen was a long-time VBPC member and volunteer. He is shown here in the VBPC office in 2004. Ole’s Touring Center plans to rename a trail in his honor.

(Photo courtesy of Becka Roolf)