Wow, what a Friday night. Last Friday’s Streetsblog fundraiser set records for funds raised and people attending. Over eighty people filled the Eco-Village courtyard for three hours of music, conversation, food, drink and to raise funds for the newest 501c(3) on the transportation scene. It was truly an amazing evening that seemed to end all too soon. Already looking forward to doing it again next year.

And who made up that seven dozen or so people? Included in the crowd were leadership for the Bike Coalition, CicLAvia, the Transit Coalition, FAST, principles for both our advertising sponsors, Howard Krepack and Josef Bray-Ali….and dozens of new friends I was meeting for the first time.  Also, I’m a silent reader of Mikey Walley’s blogsite, and photography.   It was great to see him for the first time in years.

We have a pretty full schedule of upcoming events (not all of them fundraisers) in the next several months, but allow me one last chance to say thanks to all those who helped make Friday one I’ll never forget. We’ll preview our schedule a little later this week.

The first thank you goes to the people who worked so hard to help pull the event off. Our host committee was Joe Anthony, Lois Arkin, Bobby Gadda, Herbie Huff, Kelly Martin, Eric Metz, Aurisha Smolarski, Elson Trinidad, Stephen Villavaso, and Don “Roadblock” Ward. Of course, the Streetsblog Board also pitched in Joel Epstein, Dana Gabbard, Joe Linton, Jessica Meaney, Deborah Murphy, James Rojas, Carter Rubin and Jocelyn Vivar. An extra-special thanks to Joe and Lois who really went above and beyond. Heck, the event would scarcely have been possible without all the help provided by the Eco-Village, to say nothing of the donated courtyard.

Next up, i need to send a thank you to our food preparers: Marybeth, Herbie and Carter all donated some food. Petit Chou, Inc., Native Gardens and Trader Joes all helped cater the event as well.

And last I need to thank our entertainment. Elson Trinidad and Telematique (Aurisha and Somerset Waters) provided the music and Rob Adams biked a Streetfilm on last weekend’s CicLAvia to cap off the evening.