Bay Area Wounded Veterans to Train at San Francisco City Hall in Advance of 450-Mile Therapeutic Bike Ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles
Local supporters, including veterans and community leaders, will cheer on the cyclists as they train for the 2017 UnitedHealthcare California Challenge benefiting veterans and first responders
WHAT: Bay Area wounded military veterans who are participating in the UnitedHealthcare California Challenge, a 450-mile therapeutic cycling event beginning in San Francisco on Sunday, Oct. 15, will take part in a final training ride around City Hall Thursday, Oct. 12.
The local veterans participating in the training ride are among more than 100 cyclists riding in the seven-day UnitedHealthcare California Challenge, which benefits veterans and first responders with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI) and other injuries.
Some will ride bicycles customized for injured veteran riders. Local supporters, including other veterans and community leaders, will be on hand to cheer as they train.
The California Challenge is a collaboration between UnitedHealthcare and Project Hero, a national nonprofit organization that helps veterans and first responders affected by injury, PTSD and TBI achieve rehabilitation, recovery and resilience in their daily lives.
The first stage of the UnitedHealthcare California Challenge, from San Francisco to Santa Cruz, begins 9 a.m. Sunday at the San Francisco Veterans Administration Medical Center. The public is invited to attend the kick-off event to support the veterans as they embark on their journey.
WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 12
9:45 a.m. – Photos and interviews
10 a.m. – Training ride begins around City Hall
WHO: Local veterans who will be participating in the ride, supporters and community leaders including:
· Local veteran riders and their families
· UnitedHealthcare executives and employees
· Veterans Administration executives and staff
WHERE: San Francisco City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco
PHOTOS: Media are invited to photograph event participants and military veterans, including bicycles customized for injured veteran riders.
About Project Hero
Founded in 2008, Project Hero is a groundbreaking national non-profit organization dedicated to helping Veterans and First Responders affected by PTSD, TBI and injury achieve rehabilitation, recovery and resilience in their daily lives and increasing awareness of the national mental health crisis posed by PTSD and TBI. Project Hero programs work by producing positive outcomes at lower costs and reducing drug-based therapies. Project Hero builds and provides adaptive bikes to physically-challenged and injured Veterans and First Responders and has helped tens of thousands of our Healing Heroes at no cost to participants through cycling events, community-based programs in more than 50 cities throughout the US and by supporting research. For information, visit www.projecthero.org.
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, military service members, retirees and their families, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with 1 million physicians and care professionals, and 6,000 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company. For more information, visit UnitedHealthcare at www.uhc.com or follow @UHC on Twitter.
