Bike to Work Day riders enjoying the "Pastry and Coffees of their labor" after a ride in via Woodward.

Detroit Bikes! to Work Days

Celebrate and participate in cycling as a viable means of transportation and a productive activity to promote healthy living on Friday, May 16th! Join Detroit Bikes! and Detroit Synergy as we ride to work!

This year, there will be two roundtrip rides into downtown Detroit, Campus Martius Park. Join the Ride close to your home!  For each route, there are MULTIPLE stations to join the ride between the listed starting point and downtown. 

First station along each route:

• May 16th – Royal Oak – via Woodward
• May 23rd – Dearborn – via Michigan

Rides arrive at Campus Martius Park by 8am.  Evening return at 5:30pm. The Rides will take place rain or shine. 

Click here for Departure stations and timings: http://www.detroitsynergy.org/projects/biketoworkday

Volunteers: To volunteer on the ride, or help plan the ride, or for questions, contact Alex at detroitbikes@detroitsynergy.org

Itinerary for Friday, May 16th -  Woodward Avenue to Downtown Detroit

Be on your bike, ready to depart, a few minutes ahead of schedule -- a large group of cyclists starting further north will continue biking past each meet-up station, with participants joining at the posted stations.

Start: Royal Oak - Farmer's Market, west entrance and parking lot | depart at 6:25 am sharp | Parking available @ west side of Farmer's Market

Stop in Ferndale - Ferndale Post Office | depart at 6:40 am approx | Parking available @ the Ferndale Post Office

Stop in  New Center/TechTown - Java Exchange Coffee Cafe | depart at 7:20 am approx | Limited Parking Available 

Stop in Cultural Center/Midtown - Wayne State University Student Center| depart at 7:35 am approx | Limited Street Parking Available

Finish: Downtown Detroit - Campus Martius Park | arrive at 8:00 am approx

Required: Bike, bike helmet and signed liability waiver (at event location) are required!  Bike lock suggested.

Pace: Intermediate level cycling speeds of 12-14 mph. (the equivalent of a brisk Detroit Bikes! tour, but not Olympic level training)

Duration: 1.5 hours

Mileage: 14 miles

Route: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1730544

Parking at Starting Station:  Car parking fees and sites vary, however free street parking is available in select areas around event stations.  Parking is at owner's expense.  Ride a bike!

Bike Parking Downtown: found in several locations including most People Mover Stations, the Compuware Parking Garage, the Parking Garage at Larned and Griswold, the Riverfront Promenade, and along the Woodward Avenue Streetscape between Campus Martius and Grand Circus Park.  Bike and Personal Items are sole responsibility of owner. 

For more Bike to Work Day info, visit http://www.detroitsynergy.org/projects/biketoworkday  

Project Clean and the Motor City Makeover

Project Clean gathers volunteers to join forces with various groups, organizations and events all over the city to work towards a cleaner and more viable Detroit. 

We will be kicking off our 4th year with the Motor City Makeover and the Corktown Development Corp. Volunteers will be cleaning, weeding, landscaping and planting, painting, etc. If you have any questions or want to volunteer, please contact Mike! 

For more info visit http://www.detroitsynergy.org/projects/clean

Date: Saturday, May 17th

Time: 10:00am to 2:00pm

Location: meet at Michigan & 14th, across the street from Slow's Restaurant | Corktown

Contact: Mike Mogill clean@detroitsynergy.org

Synergy Shares at Cass Community Social Services

CCSS is dedicated to making a profound difference in the diverse populations it serves by providing for basic needs, including affordable housing, promoting self reliance and encouraging community inclusion and improvement. Volunteers may be providing a number of different services for the homeless in the community including sandwich preparation, creating mud mats and outdoor clean-up.

Date: Saturday, May 31st

Time: 10:00am to 2:00pm

Location: the Scott Building | 11850 Woodrow Wilson | South of Davison Fwy & just West of the Lodge 

Contact: Regina Fortushniak dsgshares@detroitsynergy.org  

Ongoing Projects and Events

General Meetings provide the opportunity to find out about new projects, discover a new Detroit organization, and how to get involved with Detroit Synergy. Occurs the 2nd Thursday of every month @ 6:30pm at different locations around the city. See calendar as date approaches for more details.

Project Clinics Ever wonder how projects get started? Have an idea you'd like to share? Come at 6:00 at our monthly Third Thursday location for an informal Project Clinic. See calendar as date approaches for more details. For more info, contact Alok Sharma development@detroitsynergy.org

Third Thursdays are a great opportunity to connect with members of the Detroit Synergy community. Whether you are new to the organization, or well-traveled on the Synergy circuit, you will feel welcome at this community networking event. And each month, we partner with a different Detroit Charity and collect donations for them. Occurs the 3rd Thursday of every month @ 6:30pm. See calendar as date approaches for more details. For more info, contact Joanna Porvin thirdthursday@detroitsynergy.org

Bus to Work Campaign: A Transit Project Want to help strengthen mass transit in metro Detroit? Is there a bus stop near your workplace? Sign-up to post an educational flier at your workplace that describes the local routes and the personal cost savings.  Its easy - just click here to get started and we'll produce a customized flier for you to post. For more info, email bustowork@detroitsynergy.org

Discussing Differences  is a collaboration between Detroit Synergy and The Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion (MRDI) to help Metro Detroiters break down racial and social barriers by using MRDI’s 'Trading Places' dialogue series. Interested participants can email the project leads at discussingdifferences@detroitsynergy.org

Join a Project Team: Pecha Kucha Night - Pecha Kucha is a presentation format in which a presenter has 20 slides, and can only spend 20 seconds on each slide.  Started in Tokyo, there are now "Pecha Kucha Nights" all around the world.  Help us start one in Detroit! For more info, contact Alok Sharma at development@detroitsynergy.org

Join a Project Team: The Calendar Project - DSG is designing a Calendar to showcase the underdog beauty of Detroit. For more info, contact Maxine Gardner at calendar@detroitsynergy.org

who we are

We are an all volunteer organization of Detroit and metro-area residents who share a vision for Detroit and believe there are thousands of people who, if given the opportunity, would bring their vision of a Detroit alive and awaken the potential of one of the world's most misunderstood metropolises.

People > Projects > Possibilities

DSG is powered by member-driven projects and initiatives. Our projects strive to inject positive energy into the city and seek to drive the creation of a stronger community for the future. Our scope is broad enough to include all of the diverse ideas that make up a strong, vibrant and cosmopolitan city.

what you can do

If you are one of the people who knows and shares this belief, then come and join us and others in building Detroit's future.

As more and more people come together and add their vision and voice to the collective whole, then the synergy of our combined efforts and ideas will add towards realizing a living, working and vibrant Detroit.

join a project!

Planning meetings will be held for several projects that could use you! All it takes is a bit of time and some enthusiam to help get cool new ideas off the ground. Check the calendar to the right for details or contact one of our project chairs - Alok development@detroitsynergy.org or Amanda dialogue@detroitsynergy.org

For more information about our project process, check out our projects page and/or come to our Project Lead Clinic before each Third Thursday and/or download our powerpoint presentation.

Interested in creating a project through Detroit Synergy? Then check out our 9 Quick and Easy Steps to Project Success!

Support Detroit Synergy Projects: Buy a T!

Do you enjoy Detroit Synergy projects? Pick-up your Member T and card for $10 at the General Meeting or Third Thursday to support Detroit Synergy's efforts to realize a common vision for a greater Detroit.

Leadership Opportunities 2008

• Fundraising Chair - Fundraising for Detroit Synergy is project-based and grassroots just like our group. Our current Fundraising Chair has been making calls and helping with donations for over three years, so it must be a fun job! All steering team positions are volunteer and open to the general public, but we do like to find individuals who are familiar with our projects and have been to meetings. Information on this position is located here.

• Partnerships Chair Information on this position is located here.

• Finance Chair Information on this position is located here.

• Discovery Project Chair Information on this position is located here.

Want more info on how to apply? Then visit our DSG Steering Team Opportunities Page or contact our Admin Coordinator, Jen Ruud admin@detroitsynergy.org.

The Steering Team has received numerous inquiries about paid positions in recent weeks. Please note that Detroit Synergy is an all-volunteer organization and we do not have any paid positions.

Community Collaboration

The Detroit Synergy Steering Team thanks SMART Detroit for use of their "smart" business center in the historic Penobscot Building. www.smart-detroit.com

Any and all content of this page and website is the intellectual property of Detroit Synergy Group and cannot be used, reproduced or replicated without the expressed consent of Detroit Synergy Group.