Tuesday, July 27 – Denver Give an Hour™ (GAH) is sponsoring wounded warriors with ‘invisible’ injuries like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) in Ride 2 Recovery’s Rocky Mountain Challenge. The marathon bicycle ride kicks off July 31, 2010, at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo and runs through August 5.The participants will head south along the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, following some of the best cycling roads in the US. Many areas on the Ride 2 Recovery route have been used in such famous races as the Coors Classic, Red Zinger Classic and the World Championships. The ride concludes with a visit to the Garden of the Gods before a grand finish at Ft. Carson. Riders can ride for a day or complete the entire route of about 330 miles.
Give an Hour™ is sponsoring Jose Santiago, a veteran with TBI, in the marathon ride. Jose is also a client of the Operation TBI Freedom (OTF) program, and GAH and OTF often work together to help veterans with TBI, PTSD and other mental health issues.
GAH is a 501(c)3 nonprofit mental health services organization, founded in September 2005. GAH is dedicated to meeting the mental health needs of the troops and families affected by the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. GAH offers treatment for combat/operational stress injuries as well as anxiety, depression, substance abuse, PTSD, TBI, loss and grieving.
OTF is a statewide program that provides care coordination to active duty and military veterans with TBI. OTF is operated by Denver Options, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with over 18 years of care coordination expertise. “We help military families stabilize during the transition back into their communities and leverage needed resources,” OTF Program Manager Jennifer Anderson explained. “GAH touches the lives of many of our OTF families. We are glad GAH is sponsoring Jose Santiago from our program. He’s looking forward to the challenge,” Anderson stated.
The Ride 2 Recovery program organizes six‐day cycling challenges and other events across the nation in an effort to raise funding for cycling programs at military and VA locations around the US. The goal of Ride 2 Recovery is to help make a difference in the lives of veterans by assisting in their mental and physical rehabilitation. Funds raised support the participation of wounded warriors and veterans in Ride 2 Recovery Challenge rides and provide bikes, technical equipment, clinics and outings for wounded warriors and veterans.
To help Give an Hour support wounded warriors and veterans on the Ride 2 Recovery Rocky Mountain Challenge, visit www.giveanhour.org to make a donation or mail a check to the address below. Designate your donation to: 2010 Team GAH/R2R.
Give an Hour
c/o 2010 Team GAH/R2R
P.O. Box 5918
Bethesda, MD 20824
