GET UP AND GO, GO, GO!
It’s always exciting to see people who are passionate about the things they do. Occasionally, we get to see someone whose passion and excitement is absolutely infectious. Ty Schmidt is one of those people. The excitement he brought to the dais Tuesday was palpable. The room virtually shook with his energy.
Schmidt is a founder of NORTE! with his wife Johanna. NORTE! is a non-profit organization promoting bicycling and walking throughout the Traverse City region. They saw a need to assist area youth in learning how to bike our streets and the etiquette that is expected.
Norte!s mission is to help build a stronger, better connected and more bike-friendly Traverse City by inspiring the young and young at heart through bicycles. Their vision is a simple yet far-reaching one: To help make Traverse City the most bike (and walk!) friendly small town in America. With the energy he brings, they just may get there yet.
They are developing the next generation of happy, healthy, strong youth through their Safe Routes To School, Walk/Bike Advocacy, mountain bike, youth empowerment and winter programming.
Here is a sampling of their offerings throughout the year:
Safe Routes To School - Empowering elementary and middle school students to actively transport themselves to school:
Fridays Fantástico – A weekly celebration of students walking, biking and rolling to school.
The Great Traverse City Bike Train Experiment – A community-wide network of adult led bike train connecting Traverse City neighborhoods to neighborhood schools.
Estrellas – A learn-to-ride program for preschoolers using balance bikes.
Norte! Bike Library – Ensuring that awesome kids have awesome bikes to pedal to school no matter their family’s resources.
Pro Walk/Pro Bike Advocacy - Advocating for more people on bicycles in Traverse City:
TC Rides – Weekly community slow ride to promote an active lifestyle and create awareness for people on bikes in Traverse City.
TC Bike Valet – Provides professional bike parking services at the Sara Hardy Farmers Market, National Cherry Festival, Traverse City Film Festival and other community events.
The Clubhouse – Norte!’s home at the Civic Center that also houses Traverse City’s community bike shop.
Mountain Bikes - Building confidence and independence by way of adventures in our Northern Michigan forests:
Vasa Domingos – Weekly shred on the Vasa. Mother’s Day to Iceman. Sundays. Noon.
Fridays@TheCommons – Weekly ride on the Grand Traverse Commons trails. Summer. Friday evenings @ 6.
Chicas del Norte! – A grrrrrls! on bikes empowerment program.
Norte! Racing Team – Dedicated to developing the next generation of fit, fast and positive bike racers in Traverse City.
Youth Empowerment - Happy, healthy, strong young people being awesome.
The Bike Mas Project – An adventure-based after school and summer camp building confidence, promoting independence and teaching bike safety program for upper elementary students.
El Liderato – A youth leadership council empowering young people to speak up, get involved and do good in their community.
Winter - Winter in Traverse City is for embracing not complaining about.
Winter Walk Wednesdays – A weekly celebration of people walking to work, school or just for fun during Traverse City’s coldest months.
The Great Traverse City Shovel Experiment – Crowdsourced project to keep our neighborhood curb cuts and bridges clear to keep Traverse City’s sidewalks walkable/rollable all winter.
Winter Bike To Work + School Day – Riding your bike to work and school during the winter is a thing here in Traverse City. We inspired the world last year and we’re going to do it again in 2017.
With so many activities NORTE! has grown dramatically. They seek involvement and support. They have clearly moved forward with care and smarts. They have studied what they do and with the support of Rotary Good Works and strategy building has set the way for future growth.
