More than 50 veterans will cycle through Jacksonville Beach on Sept. 25, when American Legion Ocean Beaches Post 129 hosts the inaugural Wounded Warrior Project Soldier Ride at 1151 S. Fourth St.
The event marks the first time Post 129 has partnered with the Wounded Warrior Project since 2016, according to the Beach Gazette. Post Commander Jim Wineland said the organizations share goals around veteran suicide prevention.
"We hope the Jacksonville Beach Soldier Ride will be the first of future partnerships with the organization and its warriors," Wineland said.
Route Takes Riders Along A1A, Back
The ride starts at 10 a.m. with breakfast at Post 129. A police motorcade will then lead cyclists south on A1A to Mickler's Landing for a water break. Riders return north along Ponte Vedra Boulevard and Beach Boulevard before finishing back at the post for lunch.
Program Connects Veterans to Wellness Services
Members of the American Legion 5th District Riders will pedal alongside the visiting warriors. Wounded Warrior Project Soldier Ride Manager Bill Hayes said the event helps participants who may be venturing outside their homes for the first time reconnect with their communities. The program also connects them with long-term Wounded Warrior Project health and wellness services, including physical training, outdoor events and mental health programs.
Soldier Ride is the Wounded Warrior Project's adaptive cycling program. It accommodates all injury levels with hand cycles, recumbent trikes, road bikes and hybrid bicycles, according to the Wounded Warrior Project. The pace is set by the slowest rider. All Wounded Warrior Project programs are free to participants and their families.
Post 129 Has a Long History of Support
Post 129, founded in 1942, has a long record of veteran support in the Beaches community. The post hosts the annual Challenge 22 Walk, a fundraiser named for the estimated 22 veterans who die by suicide each day in the United States. The most recent walk took place March 21 in Jacksonville Beach, raising money for suicide prevention groups and treatment providers through PROJECT VetRelief, a program of the American Legion Department of Florida.
Post 129 has not published registration or spectator details for the Sept. 25 ride.
Upcoming community events
- Sept. 25: Wounded Warrior Project Soldier Ride, 10 a.m., American Legion Ocean Beaches Post 129, 1151 S. Fourth St., Jacksonville Beach
