Injured Veterans to Cycle More Than 425 Miles from Houston to Fort Worth for the UnitedHealthcare Ride 2 Recovery 2016 Texas Challenge
-
The week-long Challenge will begin Sunday, April 10, in Houston
with the Clay Hunt Honor Ride -
Ride 2 Recovery supports physical and psychological
rehabilitation programs for injured veterans -
Communities are encouraged to gather along the daily routes to
support and cheer riders -
Stops will include College Station, Tomball, Georgetown,
Killeen, Fort Hood, Waco and Cleburne
HOUSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–More than 150 injured veterans and their supporters will set off from
Houston Monday, April 11, for the UnitedHealthcare Ride 2 Recovery 2016
Texas Challenge, a six-day, rehabilitative ride that ends in Fort Worth
Saturday, April 16. Riders will travel more than 425 miles through
College Station, Tomball, Georgetown, Killeen, Fort Hood, Waco and
Cleburne, before ending in Fort Worth.
On Sunday, April 10, the public is invited to participate in the fourth
annual Clay Hunt Honor Ride in Humble. The ride honors the memory of
Houston native Sgt. Clay Hunt, a U.S. Marine Corps sniper who served in
Iraq and Afghanistan. Hunt participated in Ride 2 Recovery for three
years prior to his suicide in 2011. To improve access to quality mental
health care, which enables veterans to better combat the physical,
emotional and psychological effects of war, President Obama signed the
Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention Act into law on Feb. 12, 2015.
Ride 2 Recovery supports physical and psychological rehabilitation
programs for injured veterans. 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 upright bikes.
“The UnitedHealthcare Ride 2 Recovery Challenge Series is all about
restoring hope and purpose by providing mental and physical challenges
that help veterans get their life back,” said John Wordin, president and
founder, Ride 2 Recovery. “There are veterans who come to these rides
not just to help themselves, but to help each other. This program is
unique because the vets set goals for themselves, and we combine hard
work with the reward of completing their goal while pushing them past
what they thought they could accomplish. For these men and women, the
addition of cycling to their physical and mental rehabilitation becomes
life-changing.”
“The State of Texas is a welcoming home to many veterans because we
appreciate their service and support their transition into civilian
life,” said Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. “Events like Ride 2 Recovery are
excellent opportunities to remind our veterans that they are not alone.”
To see daily stops and events along the route or to sign up for the
UnitedHealthcare Ride 2 Recovery 2016 Texas Challenge, visit https://ride2recovery.com/event.php?ID=876.
The public is encouraged to gather along the daily routes or at the
hotels to support the cyclists.
This is the seventh year that UnitedHealthcare will serve as the Ride 2
Recovery Challenge Series presenting sponsor, providing financial,
in-kind and volunteer support to assist in the rehabilitation of
America’s injured veterans. UnitedHealthcare is the presenting sponsor
of six Ride 2 Recovery multiday cycling challenges this year across the
United States.
“We are honored to support this important health program for the men and
women who have proudly served our country,” said Tom Quirk, CEO,
UnitedHealthcare of North Texas. “Programs such as the UnitedHealthcare
Ride 2 Recovery Texas Challenge help provide exercise and rehabilitation
services that are critically important to helping injured veterans enjoy
a return to the health and well-being they richly deserve. We look
forward to riding beside them and embarking on this challenge.”
The UnitedHealthcare Ride 2 Recovery Challenge Series is one of many
ways UnitedHealth Group supports veterans and their families.
UnitedHealth Group is part 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.
UnitedHealth Group partners with a variety of organizations to help
place military and veteran candidates such as the Military Spouse
Employment Partnership, RecruitMilitary and the Wounded Warrior Project.
About Ride 2 Recovery
Ride 2
Recovery is a groundbreaking Veterans program that restores hope and
purpose, providing a way FOR life with Vets helping Vets. Their
participation provides hope, renewed life and a sense of camaraderie.
The organization provides impactful and life-changing experiences that
have proven to enhance the mental and physical health and wellness of
our veterans.
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 @myUHC on Twitter.
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Contacts
Ride 2 Recovery
Sheri Goldberg, 818-888-7091, ext. 100
Cell:
818-742-7726
sherig@ride2recovery.com
or
UnitedHealthcare
Dustin
Clark, 214-438-8251
dustin.clark@uhc.com
