Pedal For Heroes USA Holds Ride For The 23 Bike Riding Event to Raise Awareness of Military Suicides

Released on: July 31, 2013, 7:05 am
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Industry: Non Profit

Ride For The 23 Event Raises Awareness of Military Suicide with a 23 Mile Bike Ride

AKRON, OHIO, -- /EPR NETWORK/ -- Pedal For Heroes USA, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to providing support for veterans' and their families, will hold the Ride For The 23 bike riding event on August 24, 2013. The Ride For The 23 (http://pedalforheroesusa.org/events/race-for-the-23-on-august-24-2013/) is a 23 mile bike tour designed to raise awareness of the issue of military suicide.

Only 1% of our nation serves in the military, but every day there are 23 individuals who were veterans or in active service that take their own life, said Jerry Lynch, co-founder of Pedal For Heroes USA. We must do more to get them help. It's an atrocity that this continues to happen at a rate of almost one each hour of the day and still continues to go on relatively unnoticed.

In 2012, the US Department of Veterans Affairs released the Suicide Date Report that revealed 22 veterans and one person on active duty commits suicide every day. The Ride For The 23 route is made up of 23 miles to call attention to the number suicides each day. Community members are encouraged to participate in a local Ride For The 23 fundraiser or organize their own 23 mile ride to help raise awareness and prevention.

We hope the Ride For The 23 will bring a great deal of awareness to this alarming situation, said Lynch. We are falling short of providing effective intervention for our veterans so that they can get the proper care and attention they need.

Ride For The 23 will take place in Hudson, Ohio.  Five other locations have accepted the challenge: Buffalo, New York; Ft. Myers, Florida; Washington DC; Phoenix, Arizona; and San Diego, California. The entry fee for the ride is $23 and will be used to help bring awareness to military suicides in addition to supporting mental health programs for veterans. Participants may register at www.Active.com and must register by Thursday, August 22.

For more information about Ride For The 23, visit www.PedalForHeroesUSA.org or email Kayleigh Ferder at Kayleigh@PedalForHeroesUSA.org.

About Pedal For Heroes
Pedal For Heroes is a 501(c)(3) organization headquartered in Northeast Ohio dedicated to helping veterans, serving military families and honoring fallen heroes. Their annual indoor event takes place on the last Sunday in February to honor the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. The organization offers bicycle programs for veterans and also supports healing efforts for veterans with PTSD at the Red Bird Trauma Recovery Center in Cambridge, Ohio. For more information, visit www.PedalForHeroesUSA.org.

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