Injured Veterans To Cycle 450 Miles From Covington, Ky., To Nashville, Tenn., For The 2014 UnitedHealthcare Ride 2 Recovery Bluegrass Challenge
- Veterans to ride hand cycles, tandems and recumbents through Kentucky and Tennessee
- Ride 2 Recovery provides cycling programs for America's injured veterans
- Communities encouraged to gather along the daily routes to support and cheer riders
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Apr. 24, 2014) —
More than 150 injured veterans and their supporters will set off Sunday, April 27, on the UnitedHealthcare Ride 2 Recovery Bluegrass Challenge, a weeklong, 450-mile rehabilitative bicycle ride from Covington, Ky., to Nashville, Tenn.
Bluegrass Challenge cyclists will start their journey at the Embassy Suites (10 East Rivercenter Blvd.) in Covington and ride through central Kentucky into Tennessee with overnight stops in Carrollton, Louisville, Fort Knox/Elizabethtown, Bowling Green and Oak Grove, Ky. The ride will conclude in Nashville on Friday, May 2. There will be a one-day local ride in the Music City on Saturday, May 3.
To see daily stops and events along the route, or to sign up for the Bluegrass Challenge, visithttps://www.ride2recovery.com/event.php?ID=541.
Ride 2 Recovery supports physical and psychological rehabilitation programs for injured veterans, featuring cycling as the core activity. From indoor spinning training at military installations to multiday, long-distance rides, Ride 2 Recovery helps injured veterans heal through the challenge of cycling long distances using hand cycles, recumbents, tandems and traditional road bikes.
"The more I ride with Ride 2 Recovery, the more it helps me both physically and mentally," said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. (ret.) Omar Romney, who was based at Fort Campbell before he medically retired. "It gives me hope that the more I ride, the more I get out of it, and I would like to be a role model or mentor to others who are having similar struggles."
"It's an honor to support Ride 2 Recovery and its work for the physical, mental and emotional rehabilitation of the men and women who have sacrificed their health in service to our country," said Paul Brophy, COO, UnitedHealthcare of Kentucky. "Ride 2 Recovery is making a critical difference in helping these veterans in their journey to lifelong health and well-being."
This is the fifth year UnitedHealthcare, a UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) company, is serving as Ride 2 Recovery's presenting sponsor, providing financial, in-kind and volunteer support to assist in the rehabilitation of America's injured veterans.
Ride 2 Recovery is one of many ways UnitedHealth Group supports veterans and their families. UnitedHealth Group is a member of the 100,000 Jobs Mission, a coalition of major U.S. corporations that share the goal of hiring 100,000 transitioning service members and military veterans by 2020, a goal that has already been exceeded. UnitedHealth Group partners with a variety of organizations to help source military and veteran candidates such as the Military Spouse Employment Partnership, RecruitMilitary and the Wounded Warrior Project. Last year, UnitedHealthcare became the managed care support contractor for the West Region of the U.S. Defense Department's TRICARE program, serving nearly 2.9 million military service members, retirees and their families in 21 states.
"In the UnitedHealthcare Challenge Series, about 60 percent of the participating injured veterans come through our feeder program, Project HERO," said John Wordin, president and founder, Ride 2 Recovery. "There are 43 Project HERO programs at military bases and VA facilities across the country. Our medical personnel and R2R onsite coordinators help prepare these healing heroes for the week-long challenge of riding a bike hundreds of miles. For these men and women, cycling becomes a life-changing addition to their physical and mental rehabilitation."
About Ride 2 Recovery
Ride 2 Recovery, a 501(c) 3, helps injured veterans improve their health and wellness through individual and group cycling. Cycling has proven to be a catalyst in the recovery process by providing a new physical challenge while concurrently helping to cope with the mental challenges. Ride 2 Recovery benefits military mental and physical rehabilitation programs that feature cycling as the core activity. Bikes are often custom-fitted to the physical needs of each rider. There are 43 Ride 2 Recovery Project HERO programs at military installations and VA facilities that provide training, fitting and bikes to prepare riders for the long-distance Challenges.
Ride 2 Recovery, a 501(c) 3, helps injured veterans improve their health and wellness through individual and group cycling. Cycling has proven to be a catalyst in the recovery process by providing a new physical challenge while concurrently helping to cope with the mental challenges. Ride 2 Recovery benefits military mental and physical rehabilitation programs that feature cycling as the core activity. Bikes are often custom-fitted to the physical needs of each rider. There are 43 Ride 2 Recovery Project HERO programs at military installations and VA facilities that provide training, fitting and bikes to prepare riders for the long-distance Challenges.
About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people nationwide live healthier lives by simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. The company offers the full spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with more than 800,000 physicians and care professionals, and 6,000 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. Globally, UnitedHealthcare serves more than 45 million people in health benefits and is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company.
UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people nationwide live healthier lives by simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. The company offers the full spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with more than 800,000 physicians and care professionals, and 6,000 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. Globally, UnitedHealthcare serves more than 45 million people in health benefits and is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company.
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