By Richard Rhinehart

Holbrook, New York, May 18, 2012: World T.E.A.M. Sports CEO and President Paul Tyler announced today that the Semper Fi Fund, a nonprofit providing financial support for injured and critically ill members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families, has joined as a sponsor of the second Sea to Shining Sea cross-country bicycle ride with wounded warriors from America’s military.

The Semper Fi Fund is providing financial support for Marines participating in this year’s ride, which leaves San Francisco on May 28 and arrives in Virginia Beach, Virginia on July 28. The ride includes 20 disabled veterans from all services, who will ride bicycles, hand cycles and recumbents on their nearly 4,000 mile cross-country journey through 14 states. Cities included in the 2012 ride include Reno, Salt Lake City, Denver, Colorado Springs, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., and Richmond.

“The Semper Fi Fund is honored to be sponsoring United States Marines, LCpl James Sheehan and Sgt Michael Manning in their participation in World T.E.A.M. Sports Sea to Shining Sea ride. We wish James, Michael and all the riders a safe trip as they take on the adventure of a lifetime riding across our nation and help to raise awareness for our injured and critically ill service members and families,” said Karen Guenther, Founder/President/CEO, of the Semper Fi Fund.

“We are proud to have our riders carry the Semper Fi Fund logo on their personal journey across the country this summer,” said Tyler. “Their support has enabled a group of proud wounded warriors to see the country they so valiantly defended.”

Participants of the Sea to Shining Sea ride include veterans who live with disabilities ranging from loss of limbs to blindness to Post Traumatic Stress. Veterans in the ride served America in wars from Afghanistan and Iraq to Vietnam.

The 2012 Sea to Shining Sea ride is supported through sponsorships by State Farm, American Portfolios, MWV, Dominion, the Semper Fi Foundation, the USO, BNY – Mellon, General Electric, GM Fleet and Commercial, Brown Shoe Company and Famous Footwear, Energizer Holdings, Altria, EnerSys, Occidental Petroleum, Magaschoni Apparel, Penske Truck Rental, Vedder Price, the El Pomar Foundation and George Puskar.




About the Semper Fi Fund

Since 2006, Team Semper Fi has operated as the rehabilitative athletic program of the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, a nonprofit that provides immediate financial support to qualified injured and critically ill service members and their families.

The over 335 service members who are a part of Team Semper Fi have overcome significant challenges in their service to our country, and have refused to let those challenges prevent them from competing in athletic events. They are an inspiration to us all, but more importantly, they inspire their fellow service members who are also traveling down the road to recovery.

About World T.E.A.M. Sports

World T.E.A.M. Sports is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization chartered in North Carolina and headquartered in Holbrook, New York. For more than 20 years, World T.E.A.M. Sports has organized athletic events for disabled and able bodied citizens – mountain climbing, white water rafting, biking, and more. In all our events – whether mountain climbing, biking, white water rafting or many other sports – we include both disabled and able-bodied participants. Four things always happen at our events: 1) Disabled participants build self-confidence and physical fitness. 2) The disabled provide a role model for other disabled citizens, encouraging them to take up physical activities. 3) The disabled become a moving inspiration to other participants and to spectators when they see that disabled individuals can meet challenges beyond anyone’s imagination. 4) The disabled and able-bodied participants learn to work as a team to overcome those challenges. We change lives through sports.

By Richard Rhinehart

Holbrook, New York, May 17, 2012: World T.E.A.M. Sports CEO and President Paul Tyler announced today that the USO, a private, nonprofit military support organization, has joined as a sponsor of the second Sea to Shining Sea cross-country bicycle ride with wounded warriors from America’s military.

The USO is providing valuable field support for this year’s ride, which leaves San Francisco on May 28 and arrives in Virginia Beach, Virginia on July 28. The ride includes 20 disabled veterans from all services, who will ride bicycles, hand cycles and recumbents on their nearly 4,000 mile cross-country journey through 14 states. Cities included in the 2012 ride include Reno, Salt Lake City, Denver, Colorado Springs, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., and Richmond.

“We’re honored that the USO chose to support our effort to recognize the riders for both their sacrifice and resiliency,” said Tyler. “Support from an organization like the USO means so much to this group of riders who will dedicate two months of their lives to crossing the country they defended.”

Participants of the Sea to Shining Sea ride include veterans who live with disabilities ranging from loss of limbs to blindness to Post Traumatic Stress. Veterans in the ride served America in wars from Afghanistan and Iraq to Vietnam.

The 2012 Sea to Shining Sea ride is supported through sponsorships by State Farm, American Portfolios, MWV, Dominion, the Semper Fi Foundation, the USO, BNY – Mellon, General Electric, GM Fleet and Commercial, Brown Shoe Company and Famous Footwear, Energizer Holdings, Altria, EnerSys, Occidental Petroleum, Magaschoni Apparel, Penske Truck Rental, Vedder Price, the El Pomar Foundation and George Puskar.

About the USO
The USO (United Service Organizations) lifts the spirits of America’s troops and their families millions of times each year at hundreds of places worldwide. We provide a touch of home through centers at airports and military bases in the U.S. and abroad, top quality entertainment and innovative programs and services. We also provide critical support to those who need us most, including forward-deployed troops, military families, wounded warriors and their families and the families of the fallen.

The USO is a private, nonprofit organization, not a government agency. We rely on the generosity of our volunteers and donors. In addition to individual donors and corporate sponsors, the USO is supported by President’s Circle Partners: American Airlines, AT&T, Clear Channel, Kangaroo Express, Kroger, Lowe’s, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Procter & Gamble, and TriWest Healthcare Alliance and Worldwide Strategic Partners: BAE Systems, The Boeing Company, The Coca-Cola Company, Lockheed Martin, and Microsoft Corporation. We are also supported through the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-11381). To join us in this patriotic mission, and to learn more about the USO, please visit our website.

About World T.E.A.M. Sports
World T.E.A.M. Sports is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization chartered in North Carolina and headquartered in Holbrook, New York. For more than 20 years, World T.E.A.M. Sports has organized athletic events for disabled and able bodied citizens – mountain climbing, white water rafting, biking, and more. In all our events – whether mountain climbing, biking, white water rafting or many other sports – we include both disabled and able-bodied participants. Four things always happen at our events: 1) Disabled participants build self-confidence and physical fitness. 2) The disabled provide a role model for other disabled citizens, encouraging them to take up physical activities. 3) The disabled become a moving inspiration to other participants and to spectators when they see that disabled individuals can meet challenges beyond anyone’s imagination. 4) The disabled and able-bodied participants learn to work as a team to overcome those challenges. We change lives through sports.

By Richard Rhinehart

Holbrook, New York, May 16, 2012: World T.E.A.M. Sports CEO and President Paul Tyler announced today that The Dominion Foundation and Dominion Virginia Power have joined as a sponsor of the second Sea to Shining Sea cross-country bicycle ride with wounded warriors from America’s military.

Dominion is providing $50,000 for this year’s ride, which leaves San Francisco on May 28 and arrives in Virginia Beach, Virginia on July 28. The ride includes 20 disabled veterans from all services, who will ride bicycles, hand cycles and recumbents on their nearly 4,000 mile cross-country journey through 14 states. Cities included in the 2012 ride include Reno, Salt Lake City, Denver, Colorado Springs, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., and Richmond.

“We are proud to employ veterans in our work force,” said Virginia M. Board, president of The Dominion Foundation and managing director of community affairs for Dominion Resources. “And we appreciate how this cross-country ride highlights the determined spirit of our nation’s wounded warriors.”

The grant is being made through The Dominion Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Dominion Resources.

“We welcome Dominion as a sponsor of our Sea to Shining Sea ride,” said Tyler. “Their support has enabled a group of proud wounded warriors to see the country they so valiantly defended.”

Participants of the Sea to Shining Sea ride include veterans who live with disabilities ranging from loss of limbs to blindness to Post Traumatic Stress. Veterans in the ride served America in wars from Afghanistan and Iraq to Vietnam.

The 2012 Sea to Shining Sea ride is supported through sponsorships by State Farm, American Portfolios, MWV, Dominion, the Semper Fi Foundation, the USO, BNY – Mellon, General Electric, GM Fleet and Commercial, Brown Shoe Company and Famous Footwear, Energizer Holdings, Altria, EnerSys, Occidental Petroleum, Magaschoni Apparel, Penske Truck Rental, Vedder Price, the El Pomar Foundation and George Puskar.

About Dominion
The Dominion Foundation is dedicated to improving the physical, social and economic well-being of the communities served by Dominion companies, including Dominion Virginia Power and Dominion North Carolina Power. For more information about Dominion, visit the company’s website. Follow Dominion Virginia Power on Twitter . ‘Like’ Dominion on Facebook.

About World T.E.A.M. Sports
World T.E.A.M. Sports is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization chartered in North Carolina and headquartered in Holbrook, New York. For more than 20 years, World T.E.A.M. Sports has organized athletic events for disabled and able bodied citizens – mountain climbing, white water rafting, biking, and more. In all our events – whether mountain climbing, biking, white water rafting or many other sports – we include both disabled and able-bodied participants. Four things always happen at our events: 1) Disabled participants build self-confidence and physical fitness. 2) The disabled provide a role model for other disabled citizens, encouraging them to take up physical activities. 3) The disabled become a moving inspiration to other participants and to spectators when they see that disabled individuals can meet challenges beyond anyone’s imagination. 4) The disabled and able-bodied participants learn to work as a team to overcome those challenges. We change lives through sports.

Dominion Virginia Power media contact:
Daisy Pridgen, (804) 771-6115, Daisy.Pridgen@dom.com

By Richard Rhinehart

Holbrook, New York, May 15, 2012: World T.E.A.M. Sports CEO and President Paul Tyler announced today that MeadWestvaco (MWV), one of the world’s leading packaging solutions corporations, has joined as a sponsor of the second Sea to Shining Sea cross-country bicycle ride with wounded warriors from our nation’s military.

MWV is providing financial support for this year’s ride, which leaves San Francisco on May 28 and arrives in Virginia Beach, Virginia on July 28. The ride includes 20 disabled veterans, who will ride bicycles, hand cycles and recumbents on their nearly 4,000 mile cross-country journey through 14 states. Cities included in the 2012 ride include Reno, Salt Lake City, Denver, Colorado Springs, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., and Richmond.

“Support from an organization like MWV means so much to this group of riders who will dedicate two months of their lives to crossing the country they defended,” said Tyler.

Participants of the Sea to Shining Sea ride include veterans who live with disabilities ranging from loss of limbs to blindness to Post Traumatic Stress. Veterans in the ride served America in wars from Afghanistan and Iraq to Vietnam.

“One of MWV’s core responsibilities is to support communities where we live and operate – it’s easy to carry out this commitment with great organizations and events like these,” shared Ned Massee, vice president, Corporate Affairs. “We are proud to support the Sea to Shining Sea ride and look forward to welcoming the riders back to Richmond.”

The 2012 Sea to Shining Sea ride is supported through sponsorships by State Farm, American Portfolios, MWV, Dominion, the Semper Fi Foundation, the USO, BNY – Mellon, General Electric, GM Fleet and Commercial, Brown Shoe Company and Famous Footwear, Energizer Holdings, Altria, EnerSys, Occidental Petroleum, Magaschoni Apparel, Penske Truck Rental, Vedder Price, the El Pomar Foundation and George Puskar.

About MeadWestvaco Corporation
MeadWestvaco Corporation (NYSE: MWV), provides packaging solutions to many of the world’s most-admired brands in the healthcare, beauty and personal care, food, beverage, home and garden, and tobacco industries. The company’s businesses also include Specialty Chemicals, and the Community Development and Land Management Group, which sustainably manages the company’s land holdings to support its operations, and to provide for conservation, recreation and development opportunities. With 15,000 employees worldwide, MWV operates in 30 countries and serves customers in more than 100 nations. MWV manages all of its forestlands in accordance with internationally recognized forest certification standards, and has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for eight consecutive years. For more information, please visit our website.

About World T.E.A.M. Sports
World T.E.A.M. Sports is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization chartered in North Carolina and headquartered in Holbrook, New York. For more than 20 years, World T.E.A.M. Sports has organized athletic events for disabled and able bodied citizens – mountain climbing, white water rafting, biking, and more. In all our events – whether mountain climbing, biking, white water rafting or many other sports – we include both disabled and able-bodied participants. Four things always happen at our events: 1) Disabled participants build self-confidence and physical fitness. 2) The disabled provide a role model for other disabled citizens, encouraging them to take up physical activities. 3) The disabled become a moving inspiration to other participants and to spectators when they see that disabled individuals can meet challenges beyond anyone’s imagination. 4) The disabled and able-bodied participants learn to work as a team to overcome those challenges. We change lives through sports.

By Richard Rhinehart

Holbrook, New York, May 14, 2012: Wounded warrior participants of World T.E.A.M. Sports’ 2012 Sea to Shining Sea cross-country bicycle ride begin this month an inspiring two-month journey from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean, passing through 13 states and the District of Columbia.

Sponsored by State Farm, the ride begins May 28 near the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, CA. From the Pacific Ocean, the riders will pass through cities large and small and stunning rural landscapes ranging from red-hued sandy deserts to snow-capped high mountains to thick woodlands to lush fields of wheat. With eleven days of rest over 65 days of the ride, the disabled veterans will see seven days of 100 or more miles, including one day of 125 miles in western Kansas. The most difficult day of all, however, may be the ride from Vail, CO to Denver on June 20, where the riders will cross two mountain passes, including the 11,990-foot Loveland Pass, nearly 700 feet higher than the high point of the inaugural Sea to Shining Sea ride in 2010.

Colorado's Loveland Pass west of Denver across the Continental Divide will provide a challenge for the wounded warriors. World TEAM Sports photograph by Richard Rhinehart.

The 2012 ride will follow much the same route as the first ride. Riding from San Francisco around the Bay, the riders will pass through northern California, across the Sierra Mountains to the desert ranges of Nevada, along the “Loneliest Highway.” Entering Utah, the team will head northeast to Salt Lake City and Park City. From the mountain resort in the Wasatch Mountains, the riders head east into northwestern Colorado, joining the Colorado River valley at Rifle.

From Rifle, the team rides east along the Colorado and Eagle Rivers to Vail, where the team faces its first pass of the Rocky Mountains, Vail Pass. Up and over the pass, the team will descend, only to climb more sharply to the Continental Divide at Loveland Pass. From the Divide, the team descends to Denver, where a day of rest allows recovery from the ascent of two passes.

Leaving Denver, the team rides south along the foothills to Colorado Springs and Pueblo, and then follows the Arkansas River valley the east, into Kansas. Crossing southern Kansas, the riders enter Missouri in its southwestern corner. The team will head northeast across the state to Saint Louis, where they will spend the Independence Day holiday.

After a two-day rest in Saint Louis, the riders head east through the green farmlands of southern Illinois and southern Indiana. Arriving in Cincinnati for a day of rest, the team then will head northeast to Pittsburgh. Following a day of rest in the Steel City, the riders then head east through southern Pennsylvania and western Maryland, arriving at the national capitol on July 21.

Following a day of rest, the riders head south to historic Richmond, VA and another day of rest and festivities. The team then heads east through Williamsburg to the ride’s conclusion at Virginia Beach on the Atlantic Ocean July 28.

Team members in western Maryland will enjoy gentle, rolling hills and low traffic. World TEAM Sports photograph by Richard Rhinehart.

Along the route, numerous communities, organizations and official Sea to Shining Sea sponsors will provide special events, meals, and receptions, welcoming and honoring the participating wounded warriors. The public is invited to take part in the celebrations of this inspiring ride by meeting the riders as they pass through their communities. This year’s ride features live tracking of the team as they make their journey using GPS coverage provided by My Athlete.

The 2012 Sea to Shining Sea ride is supported through sponsorships by State Farm, American Portfolios, MWV, Dominion, the Semper Fi Foundation, the USO, BNY Mellon, General Electric, GM FCO, Brown Shoe Company and Famous Footwear, Energizer Holdings, Altria, EnerSys, Occidental Petroleum, Magaschoni, Penske Truck Rental, Vedder Price, the El Pomar Foundation and George Puskar.
For further information about the Sea to Shining Sea ride, visit the official ride website at http://s2ssbikeride.org/.

Learn more about the 2012 Sea to Shining Sea ride online at the official event website.

About World T.E.A.M. Sports

World T.E.A.M. Sports is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization chartered in North Carolina and headquartered in Holbrook, New York. For more than 20 years, World T.E.A.M. Sports has organized athletic events for disabled and able bodied citizens – mountain climbing, white water rafting, biking, and more. In all our events – whether mountain climbing, biking, white water rafting or many other sports – we include both disabled and able-bodied participants. Four things always happen at our events: 1) Disabled participants build self-confidence and physical fitness. 2) The disabled provide a role model for other disabled citizens, encouraging them to take up physical activities. 3) The disabled become a moving inspiration to other participants and to spectators when they see that disabled individuals can meet challenges beyond anyone’s imagination. 4) The disabled and able-bodied participants learn to work as a team to overcome those challenges. We change lives through sports.

Full Schedule for the 2012 Ride

May 28, 2012: San Francisco, CA to Petaluma, CA
May 29: Petaluma, CA to Fairfield, CA
May 30: Fairfield, CA to Ione/Jackson, CA
May 31: Ione/Jackson, CA to Kirkwood, CA
June 1: Kirkwood, CA to South Lake Tahoe, CA
June 2: Rest Day

Through the deserts of Nevada and Utah, team members will see abandoned structures, including abandoned stage stops. World TEAM Sports photograph by Richard Rhinehart.

June 3: South Lake Tahoe, CA to Carson City, NV
June 4: Carson City, NV to Fallon, NV
June 5: Fallon, NV to Austin, NV
June 6: Austin, NV to Eureka, NV
June 7: Eureka, NV to Ely, NV
June 8: Rest Day
June 9: Ely, NV to Baker, NV
June 10: Baker, NV to Delta, UT
June 11: Delta, UT to Payson, UT
June 12: Payson, UT to Salt Lake City, UT
June 13: Rest Day
June 14: Salt Lake City, UT to Park City, UT
June 15: Park City, UT to Roosevelt, UT
June 16: Roosevelt, UT to Rangely, CO
June 17: Rangely, CO to Meeker, CO
June 18: Meeker, CO to Glenwood Springs, CO
June 19: Glenwood Springs, CO to Vail, CO
June 20: Vail, CO to Denver, CO
June 21: Rest Day
June 22: Denver, CO to Colorado Springs, CO
June 23: Colorado Springs, CO to Pueblo, CO
June 24: Pueblo, CO to Las Animas, CO
June 25: Las Animas, CO to Syracuse, KS
June 26: Syracuse, KS to Dodge City, KS
June 27: Rest Day

Veterans such as Andrew Jansen will be making the cross-country journey. Photograph courtesy Andrew Jansen.

June 28: Dodge City, KS to Hutchinson, KS
June 29: Hutchinson, KS to Emporia, KS
June 30: Emporia, KS to Ottawa, KS
July 1: Ottawa, KS to Holden, MO
July 2: Holden, MO to California, MO
July 3: California, MO to Washington, MO
July 4: Washington, MO to St. Louis, MO
July 5-6: Rest Days
July 7: St. Louis, MO to Salem, IL
July 8: Salem, IL to Olney, IL
July 9: Olney, IL to Loogootee, IN
July 10: Loogootee, IN to Seymour, IN
July 11: Seymour, IN to Cincinnati, OH
July 12: Rest Day
July 13: Cincinnati, OH to Circleville, OH
July 14: Circleville, OH to New Concord, OH
July 15: New Concord, OH to Steubenville, OH/Weirton, WV
July 16: Steubenville, OH/Weirton, WV to Pittsburgh, PA
July 17: Rest Day
July 18: Pittsburgh, PA to Somerset, PA
July 19: Somerset, PA to Breezewood, PA
July 20: Breezewood, PA to Emmitsburg, MD
July 21: Emmitsburg, MD to Washington, D.C.
July 22: Rest Day
July 23: Washington, D.C. to Fredricksburg, VA
July 24: Fredricksburg, VA to Richmond, VA
July 25: Rest Day
July 26: Richmond, VA to Williamsburg VA
July 27: Williamsburg, VA to Chesapeake, VA
July 28: Chesapeake, VA to Virginia Beach, VA




Note: Route is subject to change. Download a PDF format ride schedule, including approximate mileage per day.

By Richard Rhinehart

Holbrook, New York, May 14, 2012: World T.E.A.M. Sports (WTS) CEO and President Paul Tyler announced today that leading financial services company and independent broker/dealer American Portfolios Financial Services, Inc. (APFS) has joined as a sponsor of the second Sea to Shining Sea cross-country bicycle ride with wounded warriors from America’s military.

Participants of the Sea to Shining Sea ride include veterans who live with disabilities ranging from loss of limbs to blindness to Post Traumatic Stress. Veterans in the ride served America in wars from Afghanistan and Iraq to Vietnam.

“We’re honored that American Portfolios chose to support our effort to recognize the rider for both their sacrifice and resiliency,” said Tyler. “Their support means so much to this group of riders who will dedicate two months of their lives to crossing the country they defended.”

American Portfolios is providing financial support for this year’s ride, which leaves San Francisco on May 28 and arrives in Virginia Beach, Virginia on July 28. The ride includes 20 disabled veterans from all services, who will ride bicycles, hand cycles and recumbents on their nearly 4,000 mile cross-country journey through 14 states. Cities included in the 2012 ride include Reno, Salt Lake City, Denver, Colorado Springs, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., and Richmond.

Said APFS CEO and WTS board member Lon T. Dolber, “One of the core values at APFS—in addition to nurturing the futures of our employees, propelling the businesses of our affiliated financial professionals located nationwide and providing value to our shareholders—is giving back to the communities in which we live and serve and creating relationships with those who do the same. We have supported World T.E.A.M. Sports for over five years and have been humbled and inspired during our participation in more than a dozen WTS sponsored sporting events in team partnership with this extraordinary community of people from all backgrounds with disabilities.”

The 2012 Sea to Shining Sea ride is supported through sponsorships by State Farm, American Portfolios, MWV, Dominion, the Semper Fi Foundation, the USO, BNY Mellon, General Electric, GM FCO, Brown Shoe Company and Famous Footwear, Energizer Holdings, Altria, EnerSys, Occidental Petroleum, Magaschoni, Penske Truck Rental, Vedder Price, the El Pomar Foundation and George Puskar.

About American Portfolios

Headquartered in Holbrook, NY, APFS is a full-service independent broker/dealer and member firm of FINRA and SIPC, offering a complete range of financial services, including personal financial and retirement planning, securities trading, mutual funds, access to investment research, long-term care planning, insurance products and tax-free investing. Fee-based asset management is offered through its sister subsidiary, American Portfolios Advisors, Inc., (APA), an SEC registered investment advisor. Both entities, along with technology division American Outsources, LLC (AO) collectively reside under the legal entity, American Portfolios Holdings, Inc. Full-service securities brokerage is available through a clearing firm relationship with Pershing, LLC, a BNY Mellon firm, the securities of which are held on a fully disclosed basis. The company currently serves more than 786 independent investment professionals located in 362 branch locations throughout the nation.

About World T.E.A.M. Sports

World T.E.A.M. Sports is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization chartered in North Carolina and headquartered in Holbrook, New York. For more than 20 years, World T.E.A.M. Sports has organized athletic events for disabled and able bodied citizens – mountain climbing, white water rafting, biking, and more. In all our events – whether mountain climbing, biking, white water rafting or many other sports – we include both disabled and able-bodied participants. Four things always happen at our events: 1) Disabled participants build self-confidence and physical fitness. 2) The disabled provide a role model for other disabled citizens, encouraging them to take up physical activities. 3) The disabled become a moving inspiration to other participants and to spectators when they see that disabled individuals can meet challenges beyond anyone’s imagination. 4) The disabled and able-bodied participants learn to work as a team to overcome those challenges. We change lives through sports.

World T.E.A.M. Sports’ Second Sea to Shining Sea Cross-Country Bicycle Ride powered by State Farm® starts May 28th in San Francisco


Holbrook, New York, May 7, 2012: World T.E.A.M. Sports’ CEO and President Paul Tyler announced today that the second Sea to Shining Sea Cross-Country Bicycle Ride with wounded warriors from our nation’s military will leave San Francisco on May 28 and arrive in Virginia Beach, Virginia July 28.

The ride includes 20 disabled veterans, who live with disabilities ranging from loss of limbs to Post Traumatic Stress. Veterans in the ride served America in wars from Afghanistan and Iraq to Vietnam. Participants will ride bicycles, hand cycles and recumbents on their nearly 4,000 mile cross-country journey through 14 states.

Cities in the 2012 ride include Reno, Salt Lake City, Denver, Colorado Springs, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., and Richmond.

“Recognizing the commitment and sacrifices of these wounded warriors and veterans of our military services is important for all Americans,” said Tyler. “State Farm through their generous support shows that they care deeply about these issues.”

“State Farm is proud to again show support for the courage of these exceptional riders as they trek across the country,” says Kellie Clapper, Assistant Vice President for State Farm. “This endeavor proves disabled Americans can accomplish amazing and inspiring feats.”

State Farm’s commitment to service men and women extends more than 65 years with a world-class military leave policy and through its support of company programs like the employee Military Affinity Group, Adopt-a-Soldier, the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) and now its second sponsorship of the Sea To Shining Sea cross-country bike ride.

The 2012 Sea to Shining Sea ride is supported through additional sponsorships by American Portfolios, MWV, Dominion Electric, the Semper Fi Foundation, the USO, the Bank of New York – Pershing, General Electric, General Motors, Brown Shoes, Energizer, Altria, Enersys, Occidental Petroleum, Magaschoni Apparel, Penske Truck Rental, Vedder Price, the El Pomar Foundation and George Puskar.

For further information about the Sea to Shining Sea ride, visit the official ride website.

About World T.E.A.M. Sports
World T.E.A.M. Sports is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization chartered in North Carolina and headquartered in Holbrook, New York. For more than 20 years, World T.E.A.M. Sports has organized athletic events for disabled and able bodied citizens – mountain climbing, white water rafting, biking, and more. In all our events – whether mountain climbing, biking, white water rafting or many other sports – we include both disabled and able-bodied participants. Four things always happen at our events: 1) Disabled participants build self-confidence and physical fitness. 2) The disabled provide a role model for other disabled citizens, encouraging them to take up physical activities. 3) The disabled become a moving inspiration to other participants and to spectators when they see that disabled individuals can meet challenges beyond anyone’s imagination. 4) The disabled and able-bodied participants learn to work as a team to overcome those challenges. We change lives through sports.

About State Farm
State Farm and its affiliates are the largest provider of car insurance in the U.S. and is a leading insurer in Canada. In addition to providing auto insurance quotes, their 17,800 agents and more than 65,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts – more than 79 million auto, home, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is also available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 37 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com or in Canada http://www.statefarm.ca.

By Richard Rhinehart

Holbrook, New York, April 23, 2012 – Van Brinson, the Chief Operations Officer for World T.E.A.M. Sports, announced today the initial wounded warrior participants for the non-profit’s 2012 Sea to Shining Sea ride.

The Sea to Shining Sea ride honors disabled veterans who have served this nation, and serves as inspiration to all Americans as to what disabled persons can accomplish through dedication, hard work and being provided an opportunity to excel.

Ivan Castro. Photograph courtesy Ivan Castro.

Joining the 2012 team are Bill Czyzewski of Bunker Hill, West Virginia; Jeff Henson of Heflin, Alabama; Andrew Jansen of Normal, Illinois; John Malkin of Normal, Illinois; Michael Manning of Dickson, Tennessee; Henry Riley of Fayetteville, North Carolina; Michael Sanders of Eagle River, Alaska; James Sheehan of Stillwater, Oklahoma; Jonathon Snodgrass of Dover, New Hampshire; Joe Frank of San Diego, California; Sabrina Hearst of Santa Rosa, California; Ivan Castro of Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Larry Gunter of Phenix, Alabama; and Greg Hoffman of Phenix, Alabama. Additional participants will be named by World T.E.A.M. Sportsin the coming weeks.

Representing all branches of the service, these wounded warriors have seen deployment across the world, and have participated in military actions from Vietnam to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Participants include veterans who have lost limbs, or been blinded in their service to the country, as well as veterans who have battled back from cancer and other life-changing challenges.

“I want to show my family that even though I am blind, I am still the same man I was before, driven and determined,” said Castro, an Army veteran who has competed in 25 marathons and who looks at the cross-country ride as an opportunity. “With their support there is nothing I – we cannot achieve.”

Riley, who was diagnosed with esophageal cancer as he prepared for his second deployment with the Army to Iraq in December 2008, has battled back from a near death experience. Given only a ten percent chance that he would live more than five years, Riley has slowly regained his physical and mental strength. Purchasing mountain bikes for he and his wife for their 30th wedding anniversary this summer, Riley has found the bicycling provides him the opportunity for fitness that he had lost owing to illness.

Sanders, a throat cancer survivor, will be retiring from the Air Force this September following nearly 24 years of service. Diagnosed with an aggressive cancer in 2007, Sanders used his lifetime of fitness to battle back from the illness. An active marathon runner and participant in cycling events, Sanders depends on physical activity to keep well.

Mike Sanders during a recent marathon. Photograph courtesy Mike Sanders.

Gunter, a Texas native currently living in Alabama, rides a tandem bicycle 70 miles each day, despite his blindness. He trains at the YMCA twice weekly and is physically fit. His participation in the Sea to Shining Sea will bring a sad separation between him and his 15-year-old Seeing Eye dog, Pasha. The black Labrador retriever will be put to sleep prior to the ride since her hips are no longer functioning.

Hearst is the first woman to be named to the 2012 team. With a background in nutrition and exercise-science, as well as her current role as a Coast Guard Leadership Development Center instructor, Hearst will contribute to the team as an able-bodied rider. She has been a life-long bicycling enthusiast, biking for transportation, fitness, and fun. She has been inspired often by a former commanding officer who was seriously injured in Vietnam, as well as her sister who lived the second half of her life as a paraplegic.

Czyzewski is a 63-year-old Vietnam veteran who lost a leg below the knee owing to a sniper shot. Riding a hand cycle, Czyzewski has participated in Face of America rides from World T.E.A.M. Sports, and rode a segment with the 2010 Sea to Shining Sea team. “I dedicate my ride to the over 58,000 names on a ‘black wall’ in D.C.,” he said, “and for all the Vietnam vets that are still hurting.”

Presented by State Farm, the Sea to Shining Sea ride participants will travel nearly 4,000 miles by bicycle, hand cycle and recumbent from San Francisco to Virginia Beach, Virginia. The ride begins at the Pacific Ocean near the Golden Gate Bridge on May 28, and concludes on July 28.

The 2012 Sea to Shining Sea ride, ending at the Atlantic Ocean in Virginia Beach, Virginia, is supported through sponsorships by State Farm, American Portfolios, MWV, Dominion Electric, the Semper Fi Foundation, the USO, the Bank of New York – Pershing, General Electric, General Motors, Brown Shoes, Energizer, Altria, Enersys, Occidental Petroleum, Penske Truck Rental and Vedder Price.