USO, Pfizer Partner For Operation That's My Ride

GROTON, CT — Operation That's My Ride helps to keep military service connected to their children throughout their service with the gift of a bike.

Almost half of all service members have children and the United Service Organizations-sponsored program provides a targeted opportunity to connect through the classic gift of a bicycle. At USO-sponsored military appreciation events and throughout the holidays, children of military families, ages 2 through 8 are presented with a brand new bike, helmet, and instruction manuals for safe cycling.

This program engages the entire military family from picking out a bike to learning how to ride, parents can encourage children while at home or away, further boosting morale and strengthening their family relationship, the USO says.

Pfizer has a Veterans Day tradition where some employees volunteer their time to assemble some of those bikes "for children of military veterans to show men and women in service that Pfizer cares," the company said in a press release.

“Operation That’s My Ride is always one of the favorite events for our colleagues here at our Groton campus. It is great to see the interaction and the smiling faces as local military children ride out of our building on their brand new bikes," Pfizer Groton site head John Burkhardt said.

"Many of the Pfizer volunteers are veterans themselves and you can feel the sense of pride throughout the event.”

Indeed, a Pfizer senior scientist is also a member of the Connecticut Army National Guard.

“Pfizer has a tradition around this time of year. We partner with the USO to build bikes for children of our local military families. We built about 100 bikes here locally in Groton and across the seven sites who participate at Pfizer we build almost 1000 bikes," said LTC Chris Chabot is currently the Battalion Commander for the 2/169th Regional Training Institute, Combat Medic Training.

"As a military National Guardsman here in Connecticut and employee at Pfizer, this event is extremely meaningful to me. I’m thankful to see the support from my fellow Pfizer colleagues for all of us in uniform and our families.”