Wounded Veterans Dedicate 450-Mile Bike Ride To Supporting First Responders
- More than 100 military veterans will ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles during the 2017 UnitedHealthcare California Challenge, benefiting veterans and first responders with PTSD and other injuries
- First-day ride features 76-mile route from San Francisco to Santa Cruz
WHAT: More than 100 wounded military veterans, first responders and supporters are dedicating an upcoming 450-mile ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles to first responders everywhere – from the Bay Area to Las Vegas and Puerto Rico. The UnitedHealthcare California Challenge, which runs from Oct. 15 to 21, will begin at the San Francisco Veterans Administration at 8:15 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 15.
The California Challenge is a collaboration between UnitedHealthcare and Project Hero, a national nonprofit organization that helps veterans and first responders affected by injury, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury achieve rehabilitation, recovery and resilience in their daily lives.
Riding through historic sites, civic centers and local attractions, the riders make the journey with hand cycles, recumbent cycles, adaptive bikes, traditional road bikes and custom tandems. Local veterans are invited to ride on a single-day basis for a per-day registration fee, and local supporters are encouraged to cheer on the cyclists as they ride through communities along the route. To sign up or get more details on the route, visit ProjectHero.com. The full UnitedHealthcare California Challenge schedule includes:
- Sunday, Oct. 15 – San Francisco to Santa Cruz , 77 miles
- Monday, Oct. 16 – Santa Cruz to Salinas, 42 miles
- Tuesday, Oct. 17 – Salinas to Lake Nasciamento/San Simeon, 120 miles
- Wednesday, Oct. 18 – San Simeon to Pismo Beach, 56 miles
- Thursday, Oct. 19 – Pismo Beach to Solvang, 74 miles
- Friday, Oct. 20 – Solvang to Ventura, 72 miles
- Saturday, Oct. 21– Ventura to Los Angeles, 63 miles
WHEN: Sunday, Oct. 15
8 – Photos and interviews
8:15 a.m. – Formal program begins
9 a.m. – Riders begin the UnitedHealthcare California Challenge
WHO: Local military veterans and their families including adaptive riders and their bikes, community leaders and supporters, including:
- UnitedHealthcare executives
- Project Hero and ride organizers
WHERE: San Francisco Veterans Administration, Main Entrance
4150 Clement St., San Francisco
Conclusion of Day One
Holiday Inn Express & Suites, 1410 Ocean St., Santa Cruz, Calif.
Riders are expected to arrive at 2 p.m.
PHOTOS/ Media are invited to photograph riders and military veterans.
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.
