2018 World T.E.A.M. Annual Review 2018 World T.E.A.M. Annual Review | Page 11

city’s square, and back south through
the battlefields to the Eisenhower Hotel
and the ride conclusion.
Face of America in its purest has
always celebrated the exceptional
abilities of adaptive athletes who
seek nothing less than to be treated
as equals. Though many sporting
organizations offer adaptive categories,
Face of America is one of only a few
that welcomes adaptive athletes to
participate alongside the able-bodied.
This simple action empowers all
participants. Adaptive athletes gain
confidence in their abilities and seek
other challenging sports, while the
able-bodied recognize that adaptive
individuals are not “disabled” in the
traditional sense, but “differently-abled.”
The program’s long history of
exceptional cycling challenges has
reached tens of thousands since the
inaugural cross-country ride in the
summer of 2000. From teams from
both coasts meeting beneath the
iconic Gateway Arch in St. Louis on
the western bank of the Mississippi
River, to remembering and honoring
the victims of the September 11 attacks
upon America, to today’s program
that honors military veterans who
have become disabled in their service,
Face of America is a celebration of
teamwork and coming together as a
nation and a way of life.
On the open road, participants have
the opportunity to get to know each
other in a manner today’s often-
compartmentalized society does
not otherwise offer. Military veterans,
civilians, young adults, successful
businessmen and women, adaptive and
able-bodied, American, Canadian, or
European – Face of America offers a
friendly, supportive environment where
these groups can come together.
TEAM > INDIVIDUAL
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