The 7th Annual Wounded Warrior Soldier Ride was held in the Town of Babylon today, where over 1,100 riders took part in a 25 mile bicycle ride throughout the Town to raise over $100,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project. Over 60 wounded service members took part in the ride – some of whom used state of the art adaptive hand cycles, tricycles and bicycles. Among the hundreds of riders was Town Councilwoman Jacqueline Gordon, who recently retired from the United States Army Reserves after 30 years of service both home and abroad, as well as Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Deputy Supervisor Tony Martinez.
Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer welcomed riders at a brief ceremony that was held in front of Town Hall in Lindenhurst, where remarks were also delivered by County Executive Bellone, Soldier Ride Director Dan Schnock and Army Specialist Jason Braase. The 7th Annual Soldier Ride officially began at approximately 9:30 AM, when the riders disembarked from Town Hall and made their way through the 25 mile route, passing notable landmarks like Old Town Hall in Babylon Village and crossing over the iconic Robert Moses Bridge for the ride’s last stretch to Overlook Beach, where they were treated to a barbeque with refreshments.
The Wounded Warrior Project provides services to service members, in both the United States and internationally, who have been injured in combat and works to raise awareness regarding issues that affect them as they continue to adjust to their new life. The Town of Babylon has partnered with the Wounded Warrior Project since 2008 and has raised over $600,000 for the organization.
Wounded warriors are pictured riding over the Robert Moses Causeway for the final stretch of the ride.