Amador County – A 4,000-mile bicycling tribute to disabled U.S. military veterans rode through Amador County this week, stopping for dinner last Monday at the American Legion Hall. The riders left San Francisco May 22nd on a planned 64-day World T.E.A.M. Sports’ “inaugural bike trek across America,” called the “Sea To Shining Sea.” The group includes disabled military veterans and their supporters, including co-founder of the non-profit organization Move With Freedom, Rory McCarthy. McCarthy combines “his engineering background with his first-hand knowledge of the mobility obstacles facing the disabled” to “designs adaptive equipment that opens up new possibilities and access for the user.” The ride is scheduled to conclude in Virginia Beach on July 24th. State Farm said the goal “is to honor the courage of our service men and women, recognize the strength of the American spirit and challenge perceptions of how we view athletes.” The local itinerary included dinner Monday (May 24th) at the American Legion and an unscheduled stop at the Jackson Family Sports Bike Shop on Highway 88, which opened especially for the group so they could get some after-hours repair parts. Coordinator Mike Claver of State Farm in Bloomington, Indiana, said Sea To Shining Sea had 12 support staff, including a doctor, 2 paramedics and a Presbyterian minister (the latter himself). He said all but 2 or 3 are veterans. One non-veteran is McCarthy, who with World TEAM Sports has circled the globe on his hand-pedaled bicycle. Claver said these guys and gals “are amazing.” He said the longer he is with them, the more he thinks he is the one with the disability. The riders’ disabilities include missing legs and severe back injuries that prevent them from walking. One is a woman who was told she would never walk again. They use canes, and McCarthy is confined to a wheelchair. Claver said they “have had every reason in the world to tell people to go to hell and they haven’t done that.” He said the riders “just don’t see themselves as heroes, but they represent the very best that this nation has to offer.” He said the riders “are very determined” and “absolute patriots, every one of them.” The team, numbering 27 when they rode into Amador County, includes exceptional athletes, many of whom were wounded during military service in Iraq and Afghanistan. They represent all military branches. The Sea To Shining Sea website includes personal pages for each rider, where people can pledge donations for the fundraiser. For information, contact local State Farm owner Ann Lintz at 223-1631. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.-
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Amador County – A 4,000-mile bicycling tribute to disabled U.S. military veterans rode through Amador County this week, stopping for dinner last Monday at the American Legion Hall. The riders left San Francisco May 22nd on a planned 64-day World T.E.A.M. Sports’ “inaugural bike trek across America,” called the “Sea To Shining Sea.” The group includes disabled military veterans and their supporters, including co-founder of the non-profit organization Move With Freedom, Rory McCarthy. McCarthy combines “his engineering background with his first-hand knowledge of the mobility obstacles facing the disabled” to “designs adaptive equipment that opens up new possibilities and access for the user.” The ride is scheduled to conclude in Virginia Beach on July 24th. State Farm said the goal “is to honor the courage of our service men and women, recognize the strength of the American spirit and challenge perceptions of how we view athletes.” The local itinerary included dinner Monday (May 24th) at the American Legion and an unscheduled stop at the Jackson Family Sports Bike Shop on Highway 88, which opened especially for the group so they could get some after-hours repair parts. Coordinator Mike Claver of State Farm in Bloomington, Indiana, said Sea To Shining Sea had 12 support staff, including a doctor, 2 paramedics and a Presbyterian minister (the latter himself). He said all but 2 or 3 are veterans. One non-veteran is McCarthy, who with World TEAM Sports has circled the globe on his hand-pedaled bicycle. Claver said these guys and gals “are amazing.” He said the longer he is with them, the more he thinks he is the one with the disability. The riders’ disabilities include missing legs and severe back injuries that prevent them from walking. One is a woman who was told she would never walk again. They use canes, and McCarthy is confined to a wheelchair. Claver said they “have had every reason in the world to tell people to go to hell and they haven’t done that.” He said the riders “just don’t see themselves as heroes, but they represent the very best that this nation has to offer.” He said the riders “are very determined” and “absolute patriots, every one of them.” The team, numbering 27 when they rode into Amador County, includes exceptional athletes, many of whom were wounded during military service in Iraq and Afghanistan. They represent all military branches. The Sea To Shining Sea website includes personal pages for each rider, where people can pledge donations for the fundraiser. For information, contact local State Farm owner Ann Lintz at 223-1631. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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