Wounded Warriors Ride Leaves Annapolis Headed For DC

ANNAPOLIS, MD — The Wounded Warrior Project’s 2017 Soldier Ride kicked off Wednesday in Annapolis and bikers will arrive in Washington, DC, by Friday. The riders took off from the Annapolis Neck Fire Station, 991 Bay Ridge Road, Anne Arundel County Fire Department Station 8.

The department posted pictures of the ride's kickoff on its Facebook page and said, "The Anne Arundel County Fire Department is deeply honored to be a very small part of this very big event."

Anne Arundel County Executive Steve Schuh, Annapolis Mayor Mike Pantelides, Anne Arundel County Fire Department Battalion Chief David Chen, and the members assigned to the Annapolis Neck Station cheered on participants as they left the fire station.

President Donald Trump will honor wounded veterans served by the Wounded Warrior Projectat the White House on April 6 during a special ceremony. This segment of the event continues a tradition among United States presidents that began in 2008 with President George W. Bush and continued through 2016 with President Barack Obama.

"For over a decade, Wounded Warrior Project has worked with our nation's leaders to improve the lives of wounded veterans and connect them with services that will empower them to live their lives on their own terms," said WWP CEO Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Linnington in a news release. "I am excited that the warriors we serve will have the chance to ride through our nation's capital and be hosted by the president at the White House. It's a tremendous honor, and we're incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue this amazing tradition."

Throughout the course of three days and 31 miles, participants will discover Soldier Ride is more than a cycling event – it is a chance to heal their bodies and minds. In a WWP survey of the injured warriors it serves, more than half of survey respondents (51.7 percent) talked with fellow veterans to address their mental health issues, and 29.6 percent expressed physical activity helps. Programs like this highlight the importance of managing mental health through physical activity and connecting with other veterans.

Soldier Ride® is an opportunity for wounded service members and veterans to re-create military bonds through cycling to overcome physical, mental, or emotional wounds.

»Photos courtesy of the Anne Arundel County Fire Department