Carrie Kirk a former contributor to our blog, member of INDYCOG and all round supporter of the bicycling community is offering up a challenge grant for the month of May. Carrie would like to help INDYCOG become a sustainable organization that can work even harder to promote our mission of promoting bicycling as a safe and viable means of transportation and recreation in Indianapolis. And with that said, here is Ms. Kirk's plea....

I got a polite nudge the other day. A nudge for my family to try to make a difference. I was driving in the car up Keystone Avenue with my seven-year-old headed toward soccer practice. We were passing all the biggies -- the Walmart, the Arby's, the Dollar Store -- when George with his subtle lisp courtesy of a missing front tooth declared, "It's dumb to have all these sidewalks, Mom." Yes, I thought, there are sidewalks on either side of Keystone so we all can come and go to the stores and restaurants easily. George continued with, "Look. No one ever uses them. They're empty." I looked on both sides of the Keystone Avenue lanes of traffic and saw that he was so right. Not one person was walking, running, riding a bike, or even waiting for the bus. That included the two of us too.

Throughout George's soccer practice, I thought about what he had said. True -- Indianapolis has improved in its pedestrian traffic with improved and the increased number of sidewalks and bike lanes, but what a long way we need to go. And it starts with me and George, and you and your loved one joining in the missions of organizations like IndyCog. Not only do we need to get out of our cars and onto our sidewalks or bike lanes, but we also need to dip into our wallets, taking what we might spend at the Walmarts, the Arby's or the Dollar Stores and instead financially supporting organizations that encourage change in a city's comings and goings.

Join me and my two sons in this effort during the month of May. If IndyCog raises up to $1000 during the month, our family will match that amount. And along with financially supporting positive change in our city, let's all try to fill up those empty sidewalks too.

Carrie, William and George "Empty Sidewalks" Kirk

When making a donation please indicate "Kirk Family Match" in the "Gift/Memory" box on the donations page. There is no "special" indication on the membership page.