Between the two wars fought by the American military in recent years, including the ongoing war in Afghanistan, more than 50,000 servicemen and women have been injured.
A handful of those wounded warriors will put their courage and mettle on display in Chattahoochee Hills Saturday, March 29 as part of the 2013 Soldier Ride hosted by the Wounded Warrior Project.
The ride begins at 8:45 a.m. at 9110 Selborne Lane in the center of the Serenbe community. Members of the public are invited to come cheer on the veterans as they show what they’re made of, despite any lagging disability they may have come home with, whether that disability is physical, mental or both.
Soldier ride is a physical health and wellness program of WWP, which focuses on helping injured service members heal through a variety of programs focused on mind, body, economic empowerment, and engagement. Seventeen Soldier Rides take place around the country and in Germany to assist injured service members in their recovery process, raise awareness for their ongoing needs, and engage community support.
The local ride will feature Soldier Ride alumni who will be cycling to restore their physical, mental and emotional well-being and gain peer support by meeting with other injured service members from around the country who share similar experiences.
WWP provides equipment, such as state-of-the-art adaptive hand cycles, trikes, and bicycles to accommodate various injuries and disabilities at no cost.
Soldier Ride began in 2004 when civilian Chris Carney cycled more than 5,000 miles coast-to-coast in support of WWP. In 2005, Carney again cycled coast-to coast, this time with several combat-wounded veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. Soldier Ride has been welcomed at the White House for many years, beginning in 2008 when President Bush called it “the most inspiring athletic event in the country,” and most recently in April 2012 by President Obama where Wounded Warriors met privately with him before the event.
The mission of Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is to honor and empower Wounded Warriors. WWP’s purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national, nonpartisan organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. To get involved and learn more, visit woundedwarriorproject.org.
Soldier Ride is presented by GEICO and is supported across the country by U-HAUL, a founding partner of WWP.
