MORC Affiliate Member Program

What is the Program?

MORC's Affiliate Member Program is designed to provide a formal means for MORC to establish ongoing working relationships with other non-profit volunteer organizations in Minnesota. The most likely candidates for Affiliate membership include other Minnesota-based Clubs/Associations who are members of the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA). However, all organizations meeting MORC's requirements for Affiliate membership are welcome to join.

Current MORC Affiliates

Cyclists of Gitchee Gumee Shores (COGGS) is a voluntary organization of bicycling enthusiasts from all walks of life and various regions surrounding Lake Superior. The goal of COGGS is to improve and maintain bicycling opportunities within our natural and urban habitats for generations to come.
Year Founded: 1995
Approximate membership: 100
Other Affiliations: IMBA, CAMBA, MCF
Contact: chair@coggs.com
 

Backcountry Trail Patrol AssociationThe National Mountain Bike Patrol affiliate that is chartered to patrol trails in the Chippewa and Superior National Forests in Northern Minnesota. BTPA also teaches wilderness medical care and Tread Lightly (r) skills and ethics.
Membership: 12
Other affiliations: IMBA, NMBP, Int'l. Police Mtn. Bike Assoc.
Contact: Hans Erdman: erdman@trailpatrol.org

Twin Cities Bicycling Club (TCBC) is the largest recreational bicycling club in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area! We appeal to bicyclists who enjoy group riding but don't want to race. We have rides lead by trained leaders for all skill levels. We conduct both off-road and road rides.
Year Founded: 1993
Approximate membership: 1,000+
Other Affiliations: League of American Bicyclists (LAW)
Contact: Bob Bryan 

Two Wheel View / Trips for Kids - Twin Cities is a non-profit organization providing FREE programs to youth that otherwise would not have the opportunity. Programs include a youth mountain biking program, school presentations, and biking field trips.
Year Founded: 2001
Other Affiliations: IMBA, Trips for Kids
Contact: Rick McFerrin
 

Winona Area Mountain Bikers (WAMB) is a non-profit organization dedicated to maintaining and creating off-road bicycle trails in and around Winona. We also promote safe and healthy riding habits for all bikers. WAMB was created from a small group of bikers that saw a need to raise funds to help us maintain our trails as well as stay in touch with local land management personnel. We did not want to lose our priveledges to ride. There was a trend sweeping the nation to close trails to bikers becouse of conflicts with other users. By taking a pro active stance we not only have been able to keep our access but have worked with land managers to add trails to already existing systems. Some of our successes over the last five years have included: The donation of helmets to underpriveledged youth on a yearly basis. The GPS mapping of the Holzinger Trail. Rerouting and adding singletrack to the Bronk Unit - Plowline Trail. The large trailhead sign at the Holzinger Trail. Numerous crossings and bridges on washout areas. Trash cleanups (even if it is not left by bikers). The yearly running of the Cherry Bomb Bicycle race.
Year Founded: 1992
Approximate membership: 45
Other Affiliations: IMBA
Contact: Greg Gall

Rum River Cycling Team includes all cycling activities sponsored or facilitated by Community Education - Princeton Schools. Current Activities Include: The Thursday Night Ride: Weekly community training ride (Road), intense & casual, family style rides offered each Thursday evening. Helmet Clinic: Helmet Purchase clinic for community youth 8,: families. Mountain Bike 101' Introduction to MTB Class open to all community members. TigerKid Triathlon: Youth Triathlon Event, 2003 date July 26! Riding Tigers MTB Team: Youth Mountain bike program, offers instruction & riding opportunities to community youth. Including: trips, racing & volunteer trail maintenance experiences. This program is a member of the IMBA Sprokids Program. This is the signature program of the Rum River Cycling Team.
Year Founded: 1999
Approximate Membership: 30+
Other Affiliations: IMBA
Contact: Tim Dalton

Bent Crank Racing was founded as an alternative to the larger corporate style race teams. We concentrate on the meaning of the word team and enjoy the close camaraderie. BCR has weekly group rides for all skill levels in both mountain and road disciplines. We have many team gatherings through out the season for races, biking trips, bar-b-ques and so on. As a team we like to teach new riders the tools they need, safe riding habits, proper trail etiquette and basic bike maintenance.
Year Founded: 2001
Approximate membership: 20
Other Affiliations: N/A
Contact: Shane McAllister

Rochseter Active Sports Club (RASC) is a multi-sport club designedto provide a framework for the support and development of sports such as cycling (MTB and road) and nordic skiing in South East Minnesota. The club is organized as a nonprofit organization in the State of Minnesota and has 501 (c)(3) status. The charter of the club allows the members to form additional groups to support other activities such as in-line skating etc. Most of the business of the club is conducted via e-mail and the internet as they provides rapid, inexpensive means of communication. RASC is strongly orientated towards active participation in endurance sports.
Year Founded: 1999
Approximate membership: 200+
Other Affiliations: USCF AXCS
Contact: Gary Gross

 

Benefits

• Free Affiliate homepage (or link to the Affiliate's website) on MORC's website.
• Free inclusion of Affiliate announcements on MORC's website.
• Free inclusion of Affiliate announcements in MORC's hardcopy newsletter (space permitting).
• Free inclusion of Affiliate's members on MORC's general email list (subject to individual member approval).
• Cooperative planning with the MORC Board, including IMBA Trail Schools, Trail Building Events, and initiatives for New and/or Endangered Trails.
• Affiliate members are welcome to attend and provide status reports at MORC's monthly Board of Director's meeting.
• Free Assistance with trail and website design (subject to Board Member availability).
• Use of MORC's Tool Trailer for major trail projects (subject to availability and acceptance of liability for damage/loss).
• Use of the MORC Affiliate logo.

Requirements
 

• Affiliate Members shall be non-profit organizations based in Minnesota (or with representation in Minnesota), focused primarily on activities in support of or complementary to MORC's stated mission, which is:
   

  Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists (MORC) is a non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to safeguarding the future of mountain biking in Minnesota through the promotion of responsible riding, establishment and maintenance of mountain biking trails, and preservation of Minnesota's natural resources.

• Affiliates shall provide updates for periodic MORC newsletters.
• Affiliates shall provide MORC with a Designated Contact person, including address, phone and email information.
• Affiliates shall provide a list of their members to MORC on at least a semi-annual basis. (MORC will not directly contact members of Affiliate organizations, unless asked to do so by the Affiliate's Designated Contact.)
• The MORC Board of Directors reserves the right to deny Affiliate Membership to organizations The Board feels do not meet the above stated criteria, and further reserves the right to terminate or suspend the membership of Affiliates who fail to adhere to the criteria.

• Although sharing some characteristics of Chapter system recently implemented, MORC's Affiliate Program is NOT the same.  Chapters are often considered part of the larger organization. The MORC Affiliate Member program is designed for established associations, who wish to work more closely with MORC, but still maintain their independent status.
• Individuals who belong to Affiliate organizations are not granted full individual member status with MORC, unless they join MORC as individual or family members.
• The Affiliate Program isn't designed for dealers, distributors, manufacturers, promoters or other for-profit entities. However, such organizations are welcome to participate in MORC's Sponsor Program.

Please contact our Staffer for more information on affiliate membership:  staff@morcmtb.org