Contributed
Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) Soldier Ride will arrive in Charlotte on October 3 for a three-day rehabilitative cycling event.
A Lake View man will be participating in the event.
Chris Norris of Lake View, served in the Army for 16 years and was deployed to Afghanistan from 2006 to Jan. 2008. Chris began to have severe mood swings, depression and the inability to control his temper, soon after he was diagnosed with PSTD. As a born leader it was difficult to face his unit, but he went directly to them letting them know it was time for him to step down.
From 2000-2010, Chris held a civilian job, but was still very unhappy. After leaving that job, he barely got up to get the mail from 2008-2010. In 2012, after persistence from a veteran pal, Chris joined WWP, and hasn’t looked back since. While Chris is involved with many WWP events and is an avid cycler, this will be his first Soldier Ride event. He has also just completed WWP Peer Mentor training and is looking forward to meeting other Warriors and offering the same support he received.
Soldier Ride brings Wounded Warriors from the region and across the country together for a long weekend focused on physical health and wellness, camaraderie, and healing. Events include a bike fitting where warriors are fit with adaptive equipment, and two days of rides through Reedy Creek Park in Eastland and Shopton Road in West Charlotte as well as rafting around Hawk Island at the U.S. National Whitewater Center.
During the ride, WWP provides state-of-the-art cycling equipment to Wounded Warriors at no cost, which includes adaptive hand cycles, trikes, and bicycles to accommodate various injuries and disabilities, as well as upright road bikes for riders not requiring adaptive equipment.
“This is the first year that a Soldier Ride event has taken place in North Carolina. The upcoming ride is an ideal opportunity to introduce WWP Alumni in this region to the positive effects cycling has on mental and physical health,” said Bob Laverick, the northeast regional alumni director of Wounded Warrior Project. “We have several military bases and families in the area, so the local alumni are really happy that this event is close to home and they have a chance to connect other wounded warriors from across the country.”
The Soldier Ride staff carefully plans each route, and engages the local community and law enforcement for support. On Friday, Oct. 4, the ride will begin and end at Reedy Creek Park in Eastland. The following day, the ride will begin and end on Shopton Road in Charlotte.
