More than 50 wounded veterans and supporters entered Ventura as part of the UnitedHealthcare California Challenge. The ride benefits Project Hero, a nonprofit that helps veterans and first responders affected by injury, post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury achieve rehabilitation, recovery and resilience in their daily lives.
The riders began the fifth day of their 400-mile ride to Ventura from the Hadston House located in Solvang and continued at the Crowne Plaza, after a 68.6-mile ride for the day. Local supporters cheered on the cyclists as they road through communities along the route.
The event is a noncompetitive, therapeutic bike tour. It includes stops at historic sites, civic centers and local attractions. The riders make the journey with hand cycles, recumbent cycles, tandems and traditional road bikes.
Founded in 2008, Project Hero is a groundbreaking national non-profit organization dedicated to helping Veterans and First Responders affected by PTSD, TBI and injury achieve rehabilitation, recovery and resilience in their daily lives and increasing awareness of the national mental health crisis posed by PTSD and TBI.
Project Hero programs work by producing positive outcomes at lower costs and reducing drug-based therapies. Project Hero builds and provides adaptive bikes to physically-challenged and injured Veterans and First Responders and has helped tens of thousands of our Healing Heroes at no cost to participants through cycling events, community-based programs in more than 50 cities throughout the US and by supporting research. For more information visit www.projecthero.org.
UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and making the health system work better for everyone by simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care providers.
