SWMMBA Responds to COVID-19

Dear SWMMBA Community,

As we all adjust to COVID-19, we wanted to let you know how the Southwest Montana Mountain Bike Association is responding so we can keep doing the important work of community building, advocacy, and trail stewardship.

It has become clear that we need to keep our communities safe. We are taking the situation seriously and writing our organizational policy in accordance with the CDC and WHO guidelines for isolating and quarantining for the safety of our families and friends. We encourage you to do the same and look to reliable sources like the Centers for Disease Control, Gallatin City-County Health Department, or your local health department for information and protocols to protect yourself and your communities.

We’re prioritizing the health of our volunteers, staff, and entire community. Here are some specific steps we're taking:

We are requiring all volunteer and staff meetings to be held virtually over the phone or online platforms.

We are suspending all in-person planned events, volunteer trail work days, group rides, advocacy community forums, and community gatherings of any size for the next 15 days.

The Spoke N Trail film festival will be rescheduled for Fall 2020. We are providing a flexible refund policy for attendees, please contact Keili@SouthwestMontanaMBA.org for a refund of your ticket donation.

We will provide you with prompt communications should anything change.

Please practice these daily every-day preventive actions provided by the CDC as of March 17, 2020 to help prevent the spread of COVID-19: Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care. Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects daily. Handshakes and “high-fives” are often exchanged at meetings and sporting events, and these can be ways in which COVID-19 can be transmitted from person to person. As a way of decreasing the social pressure to engage in these common behaviors, consider displaying signs (physical and/or electronic) that discourage these actions during any gathering or trail outing. 

This change might come as difficult news for a lot of folks in an already difficult time. We are feeling that pain too. Not seeing our community members, our key volunteers, and our small local business friends hurts. In these challenging times, please remember the lessons we learn through mountain biking: be kind, be considerate, offer your resources and skillset when another rider needs help, stay hydrated, get fresh air, check in on your riding buddies, create time and space for your physical and mental wellness.

Sincerely, 
SWMMBA

P.S. We will continue to serve your sense of wellness and trail-access information through online and social media communications. This new policy puts a tremendous strain on SWMMBA’s efforts as we enter the spring fundraising and trail-work season. Please continue to follow SWMMBA for future opportunities in which you can be involved with the crucial planning and work needed to meet the demands of our growing community and local trails.