Wounded Warrior Project Soldier Ride Cycles Through St. Louis

ST. LOUIS, July 6, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A city known for its sports teams and monumental architecture will soon serve as a backdrop for more than 50 injured service members taking an emotional first step towards recovery. Come show your support for our country's bravest men and women as Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) Soldier Ride® presented by USAA® heads to St. Louis July 9-11.

Often serving as an introductory physical health and wellness event for WWP veterans, Soldier Ride brings together injured service members for a long weekend that facilitates camaraderie and healing through various physical health and wellness activities. Adjusting to a new normal can be tough for our nation's heroes as they are learning to cope with mental and physical wounds. Participants often find Soldier Ride to be a life-changing experience as they connect with fellow troops who are battling the same struggles.

Before the ride, each disabled veteran is fit with adaptive equipment to meet their specific needs. After the fitting is complete, the weekend is action-packed with team-building activities aimed at providing veterans with an opportunity to lean on one another for support and the empowerment to take on civilian life. Over the course of Soldier Ride St. Louis, the injured service members will cycle more than 35 miles as a team on an inspirational journey that is sure to stay with them forever.

Day One: Thursday, July 9

When each veteran arrives, they are fit with adaptive equipment designed to meet their specific needs. Some of the participants may be missing limbs or dealing with chronic pain. The WWP Soldier Ride team will help them find the right bike whether it's a recumbent, hand-cycle, trike or road bike.

Bike Fitting10 a.m. – 2 p.m.Embassy Suites St. Charles – Back Parking LotTwo Convention Center Plaza, St. Charles

Day Two: Friday, July 10

The ride will begin at Ballpark Village and cover a 15 mile loop back to the sports entertainment district. After the ride, participants will spend the afternoon at the St. Louis Rams training facility for a physical health and wellness activity. After cleaning up they will head over to L'École Culinaire for a world-class cooking lesson.

Soldier Ride Start: 8:50 a.m.Ballpark Village Parking Lot601 Clark Avenue, St. Louis

End: 11:30 a.m.Ballpark Village

Physical Health & Wellness Activity  **media are invited with early clearanceStart: 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.St. Louis Rams Training Facility

Cooking ClassStart: 6:30L'École Culinaire 9811 South Forty Drive, St. Louis

Day Three: Saturday, July 11

The following day, Soldier Ride will pick back up at St. Charles Smartt Field to cycle 22 miles to the finish line.

Soldier Ride Start: 9:00 a.m. St. Charles Smartt Field6390 Grafton Ferry Road, Portage Des SiouxBottom of Form

To schedule an interview with participating veterans and Wounded Warrior Project staff, contact Virginia Hilton at [email protected] or 757-232-2178.

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.

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 Project®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.  

 

 

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SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project