Wounded Warriors to make a stop in Lake Havasu City

8/18/2008
Lake Havasu City, Ariz. – The Wounded Warrior Project will be making a stop in Lake Havasu City next month.

The Wounded Warrior Project is an organization aimed at supporting veterans wounded in battle. According to the group’s website, the organization was founded after members saw the needs of soldiers who were wounded while fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. “They realized that something needed to be done for these brave individuals beyond the brass bands and ticker tape parades. They wanted to provide tangible support for the severely wounded to help them on the road to heal both physically and mentally,” said Woody Groton, himself a veteran who is organizing the event.

One of the many programs is the Soldier Ride, where military personnel who are on the road to recovery participate in a regional bike ride that helps to raise awareness for the cause, and to get them back into the active lifestyle they once knew. “Many of these men and women have been physically active throughout their lives. Soldier Ride offers these brave individuals the chance to get on a bike and prove to themselves, ‘I can still do this.’ Soldier Ride is not about politics; it's not about the war. It's simply about the soldiers,” said Groton.

The ride starts in Phoenix Tuesday, September 23. They’ll then take part in a 25 mile ride throughout Lake Havasu City the following day, Wednesday, September 24. The next day they will travel up to Las Vegas, where they have another event and ride planned for the 25th.

Volunteers from throughout Lake Havasu City are organizing an event to ensure that the soldiers feel welcomed while they are in Lake Havasu City. “We are putting together a welcoming ceremony and dedication to see them off on their Lake Havasu City ride,” said Lake Havasu City CVB vice president Jarrod Lyman, who is chairing the committee organizing the event. “We want these heroes to know Lake Havasu City supports them and truly thanks them for their sacrifice.”

The Freedom Bridge Committee is another organization involved in the event. They have the goal of finding local residents and businesses to sponsor a rider with a brick in the memorial walkway. “What more of a lasting impression can we make on these men and women who gave so much of themselves for our country, than by immortalizing them in this memorial to those who serve in our armed forces,” said Gary Meyers, Chairman of the Freedom Bridge Committee. “"These are the very people who motivated this entire (Freedom Memorial Walkway) project," he said.

The group has to gather sponsors fast, as the brick order needs to be placed by August 25 if they are to be ready in time for the event. “We’d like to present the soldiers with their bricks, and have them lay them in the memorial walkway during the ceremony,” Meyers said.

Also planned for the ceremony will be a mayoral proclamation, patriotic music from the High School band and more. “We want everyone from the community to come out and show their support,” Lyman said. “Both at the ceremony and after, cheering them on as they ride along the route. What an amazing way to really show our support for these heroes.”

“There are a lot of people and organizations helping us out with this,” Lyman said. “The Freedom Bridge Committee is really stepping up; the School District has also pledged their support. The Lake Havasu Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association is taking part, and so are many of the veteran’s groups. The Hampton Inn is hosting the riders, and the London Bridge Resort is helping with the dedication ceremony on Wednesday morning. The Police Department is helping set up the course and plan the event as well. A lot of people are making this happen, and it would be great to have as many residents as possible out there Wednesday morning.”

The route will have the riders starting beneath the London Bridge, and heading out through the English Village toward State Route 95. They’ll travel south on the highway bike path to the access for the upper parking lot on the London Bridge Resort, through that lot and across the London Bridge and then clockwise around the Island. They’ll then travel down Beachcomber Blvd. through London Bridge Beach, backtrack through the upper lot to the bike path then down to London Bridge Road where they will travel north to the Shops at Havasu. They’ll cross the front of the mall to Centre Loop then head southbound on SR 95 to Smoketree where they will enter Rotary Park. They will stay on the sidewalk from Rotary north through the Bridgewater Channel, through the English Village and out where they will finish their ride at the Hampton Inn.

Residents who want to ride alongside the soldiers are encouraged to do so. Other cities have seen the group of 25 soldiers swell to over 100 as residents from those areas wanted to show their support. The local organizing committee is asking that a $20 donation be made by those wishing to ride. “One hundred percent of that will go to the Wounded Warrior Project to help with their mission,” Lyman said.

The local Rotary clubs will meet the riders at the Hampton Inn at the end of their ride. Residents who want to be on hand at the end of the ride are also welcome to this event.

For more information, visit www.woundedwarriorproject.org.

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