2016 Ride 2 Recovery Texas Challenge passes through Belton

On April 14, Belton’s Lakewood Elementary School honored our veterans by hosting a lunch break during the United Healthcare 2016 Ride 2 Recovery (R2R) Texas Challenge. The campus signified the essence of what pride for our soldiers who have served in our military should resemble for every American. The entrance of the campus was lined with students eager to share their support for the veterans and cheer them on as they continue their quest to Ft. Worth, Texas.

“We are along the route on their way to Waco. We are a good location for them (the veterans) to take a break and we have been able to relate it to the school’s Old Glory Days celebration. Old Glory Days’ theme is teaching the students about the reasons for being patriotic and what our military service men do for us every day. This is our 29th year to celebrate Old Glory Days here at Lakewood,” said Lakewood Elementary School Principal Judy Schiller.

One hundred and fifty injured veterans, to include 15 Ft. Hood day riders, will cycle more than 400 miles during the six-day therapeutic ride; averaging 60-70 miles per day. Beginning in Houston on April 11 and ending in Ft. Worth on April 16, the riders will travel through the cities of College Station, Tomball, Georgetown, Killeen, Ft. Hood, Belton, Waco, and Cleburne.

“We are a veteran’s organization; we work with wounded and injured veterans from all the wars, including the Vietnam War. We help them have a normal life after serving. But many of our veterans are still active-duty military. It is a real bonding experience. Being involved in the ride helps the soldiers with their sleep issues and with their medication; this is considered the best medication available. We put the route together trying not to use too many major streets since traffic can be an issue. We reach out every year to the schools on our route, most of the schools we wave as we drive by but Lakewood asked for us to stop and do lunch with them,” said R2R Media Director Sheri Goldberg.

According to www.ride2recovery.com, the organization’s main purpose since 2008 is to restore hope and purpose to the life of a veteran. The results of the program are evidence there is strength in numbers. Fifty-five percent of R2R participants that require prescription drugs have reduced or eliminated the need for the drugs completely and veterans experience increase ability to perform normal day-to-day activities, have reduced pain, and improved sleep patterns.

R2R sponsors a variety of bicycle challenges and rides throughout the year. The remaining United Healthcare 2016 Challenges include the Virginia Memorial Challenge, the Nine/Eleven Challenge, and the California Challenge. The 2016 Honor Ride is a non-competitive cycling event that lets the public ride alongside the riders. The 20 rides vary from 10-100 miles and are designed for all skill levels. The Honor Ride Series raises funds and awareness for R2R. All of the funds raised support Project Hero Programs and the purchase of bikes for R2R healing heroes. The Honor Rides have raised over $208,000.

Veterans are represented from all over the country. Over 300 veterans apply to be a participant in the rides but only 150 are accepted. Veterans who need a sense of belonging are given priority rather it be due to depression or other related issues.

“I have been with R2R since September of last year. This (riding) has saved my life. I was introduced to the program from a fellow veteran. At the time I did not have a bike, so this is my first ride. It gives me the sense of connecting with people again which I had lost for 10 years. Everybody can relate to your struggles and what you are going through. I needed that connection to feel alive again. This has given me back my life. I feel a sense of accomplishments every day. I used to have to take 10 to 12 different medications a day; now I don’t have to take any,” said 13-year Iraq veteran Joseph Allisy. “The soldiers that are at Ft. Hood right now need to see this. They need to see what is available to them. This gives a young soldier a resource for when they leave the military. They don’t have to be disabled to participant. This might get soldiers more involved with the Veterans Affairs (VA) and working with other soldiers.”

R2R has two primary sponsors that support the veterans at every step of the process. The United Service Organizations (USO) travels with the veterans on all the ride challenges providing them with all their meals. United Healthcare makes it possible for every veteran to be involve in the ride by furnishing lodging, clothing, and custom-made bikes for all participants.

“I really encourage all veterans to give us a try. Day rides help prepare veterans for the longer rides. We make everyone comfortable at every level,” said Goldberg.