From VFW Post 10211 in Key Largo, some 40 injured military veterans and their families pedaled down U.S. 1 through Islamorada on Jan. 10 as part of the Wounded Warrior Project’s Florida Keys Soldier Ride.
Cyclists stopped at Coral Shores High School, where a sea of local students, firefighters and first responders showered the injured veterans with cheers. Cyclists hopped off their bikes and met students from Plantation Key School, who gave them artful crafts with messages of thanks for their service to the country. Coral Shores students handed out refreshments.
After taking in views of turquoise waters in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico from the iconic Seven Mile Bridge on Jan. 10, more than 40 injured military veterans and their families returned to the Middle Keys two days later for an up-close-and-personal visit with the ocean’s most gregarious residents at Dolphin Research Center.
Yellow ribbons and American flags lined North Roosevelt Boulevard, where the Key West police and firefighters stood in respect as the riders passed into Old Town for a welcome party at Bayview Park on Jan. 11
“Warriors discovered Soldier Ride is more than a cycling event – it is a chance to heal their bodies and minds through experiences that connect them to their fellow service members,” according to the Wounded Warrior Project website. “Army veteran Natalie Charles said the chance to have fun with other like-minded veterans helped her form connections that are free of judgments. ‘Their experiences are your experiences, so you can talk about it with those warriors,’ she said. “Other veterans understand what civilians don’t, and it makes connecting much easier.’”
For many, Soldier Ride is the first time during their healing process that they venture out of their homes to connect with the community. Many wounded veterans face similar challenges with isolation when transitioning to civilian life, and gatherings like this offer a chance to bond with other warriors and learn they are not alone, the website states.
More information is at woundedwarriorproject.org. Information on local veterans services is available from Cathy Crane, director of Monroe County Veterans Affairs at Crane-Cathy@monroecounty-fl.gov or 305-295-5150.
