World T.E.A.M. Sports 2015 Annual Review | Page 9

20 15 WORLD T.E.A.M. SPORTS AN N UA L R E V I E W EVENT FACE OF AMERICA PA 558FT [ 39°45'56.4"N 77°16'06.7"W ] Each April, the streets and byways between the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia and the historic Civil War battlefields of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania are filled with colorfully-clad bicyclists and hand cyclists who have joined together in their support of military veterans who have sacrificed much in their service to their country. This is the Face of America, World T.E.A.M. Sports’ annual midAtlantic ride that honors the sacrifices and commitment of our nation’s military members. For many of these adaptive athletes, totaling a record 135 in 2015, their participation in the two-day, 110-mile ride is an important part of their rehabilitation and recovery from wounds suffered in conflict, from serious illnesses and from tragic accidents. Though these adaptive veterans live with disabilities—ranging from vision impairment to amputation, paralysis to post-traumatic stress—through riding alongside retired military, active-duty military and civilians, they discover that lives can be changed for the better through exercise and supportive teamwork. With the largest number of participating riders since the 2002 Face of America, a record $562,486.78 was raised through individual donations and sponsorships from leading corporations, including Capital One Bank, American Portfolios Financial Services and Booz Allen Hamilton. These funds paid not only for the event costs and the participation of the disabled athletes, but also helped cover costs of other inclusive athletic events throughout the country from World T.E.A.M. Sports. Gettysburg, PA Arlington, VA ARLINGTON, VA – GETTYSBURG, PA Cycling ACTIVITIES:  DISTANCE: 110 Miles DURATION: 2 Days ELEVATION ELEVATION Max 873ft. 800ft. 0 Distance (MI) 110 Sea Level PARTICIPANTS PARTICIPANTS 0 445 Able bodied 580 Disabled “The staff and marshals who rode with us were exemplary,” reported one veteran of the 2015 ride. “They really gave me confidence in doing this and encouragement along the way.” PHOTO CAPTION: Disabled and able-bodied athletes rode two bicycling events from World T.E.A.M. Sports in 2015. The April Face of America from Arlington, Virginia attracted nearly 600 athletes, while the new Face of America Liberty in October from West Point, New York to Two World Trade Center in Manhattan saw 30 riders in its inaugural running. These non-competitive rides included civilians, active-duty military and retired military veterans, all riding together to honor military veterans who were injured or killed in service to their country. Photographs by Patrick Kelley and Alex Rohman. 7