More Info: Road2Recovery.us.com
Stars to
support Veterans on the Road 2 Recovery
Actor
Mike Vogel (Cloverfield), chair of this year's VA National Salute to
Hospitalized Veterans, is joining disabled veterans, cycling legends and
supporters in the 2008 Road 2 Recovery fund-raising rides for cyclists along
both coasts of the
Held
in partnership with the Fitness Challenge Foundation, the R2R will raise money
to support Spinning® and outdoor cycling programs at Military
and VA locations around the U.S. to help injured veterans overcome obstacles
they face. Cycling is an important part of the recovery and rehabilitation
program for two
reasons:
1.
Cycling
is an activity that almost all patients with mental and physical disabilities
can participate.
2.
Participation
in the Road 2 Recovery Program helps speed up the recovery and rehabilitation
process.
The
program will feature veterans, celebrities, athletes, and hundreds/thousands of
participants coming together to help injured heroes return to a life free of
the mental and physical toll that they have taken. Among those that are
involved in the project include: Tour de France and hip replacement cyclist
Floyd Landis, VA Volunteer Service Office, Afghanistan/ Iraq veterans Mike
McNaughton and Major Jason Bryan (VeloNews fame), Olympic Silver Medalist and
World Cycling Champion Mari Holden, former 7-11 rider Thomas Craven, and
Olympic cyclist Wayne Stetina. Riders will donate a minimum amount in order to
participate in a ride. Tour packages will be available to top fundraisers and
special awards/prizes will also be given.
The
fundraising will center on 3 rides in 2008. The first ride begins on May 20 at
Walter Reed in
On
Tuesday, May 20, the ride will leave Walter Reed Malone House after a 10:30 am
ceremony and finish May 25 at Lowes Motor Speedway. Dozen’s of injured troops
along with celebrities, athletes, and elected officials will participate in the
470-mile ride event.
The National “Salute
Our Vets” one-day event will take place on Saturday November 8, 2008 in
conjunction with Veterans Day. The
goal; get up to 1 million people across the country on their bikes
(Indoor/outdoor) for special one day rides to raise money for this great cause.
Events will take place at IHRSA member Health Clubs and Giant Bicycle Shops
across the
The conflict in
Through
this partnership, the Fitness Challenge Foundation and the VA would like to
expand this program to both active duty and those already discharged, and allow
more vets to take advantage of this important program. This would include
cycling programs of all types including Spinning. Trauma Recovery Program
participants need counseling, special outings, equipment, bike skills training,
and technical wear among other needs. The money raised will go to these needs.
Supporters
include Star Trac, Giant Bicycles, Coca-Cola, General Mills, League of American
Bicyclists, Shimano, Veltec Sports, Hincapie Sports, Alternative Vehicles, Rudy
Project, DeFeet, Park Tool, Speedplay, Yakima, Chamois Butt’r, Bicycling Magazine, and
Lowes Motor Speedway.
The
Fitness Challenge Foundation is an official partner of “America Supports You”,
the official Department of Defense program encouraging support of US Military
around the world, especially those fighting overseas and communicates that support to
members of our Armed Forces at home and abroad.
VA
Cycling Program Info:
The
Men's and Women's Trauma Recovery Programs focuses on a holistic
bio-psycho-social approach to recovery from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD). Two years ago we started weekly bicycle rides, at first once a week, to
help build more avenues to address symptoms of PTSD, such as Isolation,
Depression, Avoidance, Anxiety, and Building Relationships with others, to name
a few. Research suggests that physical activity and exercise can have a
powerful impact on mental health problems such as Depression and PTSD as well
as physical health benefits.
As
a program we have noticed that patients who participate in the cycling program
have decreased their symptoms of PTSD and have discovered a path to reconnect
with their community when they discharge from the program.
The
entire multidisciplinary staff has come to support the use of bicycling as an
intervention for better psychological and physical health. Recreation
Therapy, Readjustment Counseling, Social Work, Health Science, and Nursing
staffs have participated as leaders of the rides. Since October 2005, over 110
patients have ridden over 8,200 miles with some individual patients completing
as many as 35 rides and a total of 430 miles during their admission.
Patients
with numerous physical problems, who had not been on a bicycle for over 40
years, have participated in and benefited from the program. One patient
lost 25 pounds within the first month of treatment due to changes in both diet
and physical activity.
More Info and Event Sign Up: www.Road2Recovery.us.com