Injured Veterans Tackle Wounds of War in Soldier Ride Dallas

DALLAS, Sept. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nearly 50 injured service members will embark on a life-changing, 34-mile journey through the Dallas-Fort Worth area during Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) Soldier Ride® presented by USAA®. The rehabilitative cycling event rolls into town for the first time Thursday, September 10 through Saturday, September 12.  

Soldier Ride often serves as an introductory program to WWP veterans. The national program brings service members together for a long weekend focused on physical health, wellness, and healing. In addition to cycling, they will also participate in activities that supplement their journey toward a healthy lifestyle. Veterans will learn how to prepare a healthy meal during a cooking class, as well as physical activities like golf and white water and adaptive rowing. What may appear as a fun weekend getaway actually serves as a retreat to provide veterans with an opportunity to lean on one another for support and the empowerment they need to take on civilian life.

Every Soldier Ride begins with a bike fitting, where each disabled veteran is fit with adaptive equipment to meet their specific needs. On Friday, the group will cycle 16 miles through Fort Worth. They will tackle Saturday's 18-mile ride together in Dallas. The community is invited and encouraged to come out, support our troops, and share their experience on social media with the hashtag #SoldierRideDallas.   

Soldier Ride presented by USAA is also being supported across the country by U-HAUL, a founding partner of Soldier Ride, and TREK, both proud supporters of WWP. Soldier Ride staff carefully plan each route, and engage the local community and law enforcement for support.

About Soldier RideSoldier 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 since 2008 when President Bush called it "the most inspiring athletic event in the country," and most recently in April 2015 by President Obama where WWP Alumni met privately with him before the event.

Soldier Ride is a physical health & wellness program of WWP, which envisions a generation of wounded veterans well-adjusted in body, receiving the care they need to maximize rehabilitation and live active and healthy lives. Through peer support, adaptive sports, health, nutrition, and recreational activities, WWP helps warriors achieve independence and pursue an excellent quality of life.

More information on Soldier Ride is available at soldierride.org.

About Wounded Warrior ProjectThe 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.  

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SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project