About us
South Bay Striders (SBS) was founded in early 1986 and held its first two Event Walks in Los Gatos in late 1986 and early 1987. The routes, which passed scenic homes and covered a part of the Los Gatos Creek Trail, proved to be so popular that the club established its first 10K Year-Round Event (YRE) in Los Gatos in 1989. Since then, walkers from all over the world have taken advantage of this route while visiting the Bay Area.
SBS also has established YREs in historic downtown San Jose, Campbell, Morgan Hill, Santa Cruz and Capitola.
SBS is one of the many active clubs in the California Volkssport Association (CVA) and is a periodic host of the annual CVA walking convention that is held the first weekend in May. In the summer of 2007, SBS members were active participants in the American Volkssport Association (AVA) biennial national convention that was held in northern California. The club sponsored two scenic routes, both of which started and ended at the historic Presidio in San Francisco. One route went from the Presidio through charming city neighborhoods and back, and the other went from the Presidio to Vista Point and back, crossing the Golden Gate Bridge.
In May, 2008 the Striders will launch the California Missions program, aimed at encouraging walkers to experience this important part of California history while earning distance and event credit (and, of course, a beautiful patch!) Walkers have 5 years to complete the program, which requires completing at least 15 walks that include a California Mission (there are 22 missions in all). Missions Program books will be available at the CVA Convention the first weekend of May, and at the SBS “Santa Cruz Classic” weekend May 30 – June 1. You can also order a book by sending a $15.00 check (made out to SBS) and a self-addressed stamped envelope to: California Missions Program, 15680 Alum Rock Ave., San Jose CA 95127-2701.
South Bay Striders Organization
| Officers | ||
| President | Holly Pelking | |
| Vice President | Margaret Shafer | |
| Membership | Edith McCoy | |
| Publicity | Rosy McCloskey | |
| Secretary | Phil Braverman | |
| Treasurer | Jacquie Christensen | |
| Website Coordinator | Leslie Flowers | |