Roadies

This post isn't about a ride, but it is about gear in a way, and it's not really directed at the officers per se but rather to raise an idea for club members and so I don't think it really fits for the Admin forum either.

When you stop and think about it, we have never had a "club" t-shirt -- only century t-shirts, and the last one of those was, what, 4 years ago? Judging from the attendees at the Christmas party last night, there are a lot of newer members who might think that it would be nice to have something like this to wear. If we can have a $1500 SCCC community grant for jerseys for youths of another organization, why could we not have an "SCCC member grant" back to our own club of at least the same amount for something with the SCCC logo and name prominently displayed on it for our own club members to have and wear (and I'm not talking about socks here) -- it would promote our club and thus promote cycling in North Alabama, and not only would members have something to proudly wear to help them feel like a member of a club that cares about its members, it would also promote and advertise SCCC to the community when worn in public.

The new, improved web site would provide an easy way for members to order apparel items -- with size and maybe even color options (there could be a default date by which to pick up your shirt at a club meeting or a designated location or lose it), and perhaps even to pay for them (although incurring those pesky credit card fees for the club).

It wouldn't have to be a t-shirt (short or long sleeved, technical t-shirt, etc). It could be a polo shirt. Or an SCCC-branded windbreaker (suggested, I believe, by Laurie Cooklis around the time of the dues increase presentation as something for which revenue generated by the dues increase could be used). How about an SCCC windstopper vest for cold weather riding (the torso-only kind)? Arm-warmers / leg-warmers with a big "SCCC" up both sides? Or a bright reflective vest with the SCCC logo on the back? I know there was some talk of jerseys in the spring; haven't heard anything about those, but even if heavily subsidized a jersey would be at least $50, and I was trying to come up with less expensive ideas that the club could largely fund so that they could either be free or inexpensive ($10 max) for SCCC members.

From her recent posts on the Admin forum, I realize that at least one person is pretty strongly opposed to an SCCC club t-shirt, because there are so many of them in her drawer and in her opinion money raised by our club should be spent on advocacy (I guess $1400+ to AlaBike at the request of the century director, $1500 for a youth mountain organization, whatever the Toys for Tots helmets last month cost, and a couple of bicycles for kids in Triana haven't been enough this year, since there has already been a suggestion for another "annual community grant" donation in the spring). But I don't really think it's a ridiculous idea, since we really have _never_ had an SCCC member item like this (only club century shirts, and even not that in recent history, and socks) and seem to have all this money in the treasury that's going to non-SCCC groups, for us consider whether the officers could designate that some of the money they spend in 2015 be allocated for something for our own SCCC members.

Just an idea. What do YOU think, SCCC member? Wouldn't it be cool to proudly wear something with the SCCC logo prominently displayed on it to promote the club and proudly proclaim that you're a member of this great group of people?