Face of America 2014

Over at Hooah Wife & Friends, Greta blogs the

Face of America 2014

2014 Face of America bike ride and Banners and Friend Riding this year :)

It's that time of year again! April 25-27 will be the 2014 World TEAM Sports Face of America bike ride

Once again this year, my family and I will be collecting banners to hang along the route to cheer the riders on!! We've already received several banners from Madison County primary school !! Thank you!!

Also this year, friend Greta from Hooh Wife & Friends will be riding again !
She and I first met in person at the Face of America bike ride :) So looking forward to cheering her on again as a rider!

Regarding banners..we do have some left from last year's ride and I am Very Late in posting this, but we'll be accepting banners from anyone who can get them here by April 23,2014. 
Instructions for how to make the banners can be found HERE

(you can email me at kasee60 (at) gmail (dot) com for mailing address to send them)

World TEAM Sports Face of America bicycle ride~Instructions for Banner Making

 

Making a banner can be very simple or very elaborate. we will describe the simplest and most inexpensive versions and you can go from there.

 

Materials needed:
ONE light-colored pillow case (e.g., white, yellow, powder blue)
OR

ONE light colored cotton T-shirt (M-XL)

OR

ONE Light colored twin sheet

ONE package of multicolored Sharpie (or any type of) permanent markers (maybe two pkgs if you’re doing a sheet!)

OR

Tubs of tempera paints(a couple bright colors) and paint brushes/sponges, plus permanent markers for folks to sign their names

NOTE: Many fluorescent colors and yellow do not show up well on light colored fabric; select paint/marker colors that have a high contrast with banner fabric.

Optional: Stencils from a craft store to help sketch out the letters in pencil before using the permanent markers or paints (or use stencils to trace and cut out fabric letters)

NO, NOs (please!):

No poles or sticks (hard to transport; all banners will be hung from clothesline or fences, etc)

No paper (gets soggy and tears in rain and morning dew)

No glossy photos (get soggy and tear in rain and morning dew)

Fabric banners are best because they are easiest transport and to secure to ropes and fences with clothes pins or safety pins.
 

With your pens or whatever, decorate your banner with a simple wish, orcheer, or message of thanks or encouragement and then anyone and everyone can sign their name. J 

If your banner will be from a group, I recommend writing the group name along one edge, left or right (across the bottom is less good as that part may drag the ground). Signatures can go all over!

Email me at kasee60 (at) gamil (dot) com if you're interested in donating a banner to cheer the riders along!

Ready for the Face of America bike ride! Many,many Thanks! to all the Banner makers!!

More banners came in within the past few weeks!

some from family members..

                               
                               and these were from the great folks at United Cerebral Palsy of Eastern Connecticut !

                                 
                                and these banners were from some great kids at
                                   Roundy Elementary school in Las Vegas, NV !

 Can't say Thank you! enough to all the great banner makers! :)

and now, the weekend of the World TEAM sports Face of America bicycle ride is upon us!!

More to come after the weekend!!

More Banners Received !

Many Thanks! go out to:  Family members :)

and two more from the Glastonbury Junior Women's Club

and more Family members :)

These banners will be used to cheer on the riders in the
2013 World TEAM sports Face of America bike ride

Thank you again! to all the banner makers :)

Yay! Received two more banners for Face of America ride!

Many thanks! to the Glastonbury Junior Womens Club in Connecticut!!
For many years they have supplied us with banners to encourage the riders in the
 World TEAM sports Face of America bicycle ride!

If you or a group are interested in donating banners to be used for this year's ride? Here are directions for how to make a banner below (and just send me an email at kasee60(at)gmail(dot)com for the address to mail the banners  )

Making a banner can be very simple or very elaborate. we will describe the simplest and most inexpensive versions and you can go from there.

Materials needed:
ONE light-colored pillow case (e.g., white, yellow, powder blue)
OR

ONE light colored cotton T-shirt (M-XL)

OR

ONE Light colored twin sheet

ONE package of multicolored Sharpie (or any type of) permanent markers (maybe two pkgs if you’re doing a sheet!)

OR

Tubs of tempera paints(a couple bright colors) and paint brushes/sponges, plus permanent markers for folks to sign their names

NOTE: Many fluorescent colors and yellow do not show up well on light colored fabric; select paint/marker colors that have a high contrast with banner fabric.

Optional: Stencils from a craft store to help sketch out the letters in pencil before using the permanent markers or paints (or use stencils to trace and cut out fabric letters)

NO, NOs (please!):

No poles or sticks (hard to transport; all banners will be hung from clothesline or fences, etc)

No paper (gets soggy and tears in rain and morning dew)

No glossy photos (get soggy and tear in rain and morning dew)

Fabric banners are best because they are easiest transport and to secure to ropes and fences with clothes pins or safety pins.

With your pens or whatever, decorate your banner with a simple wish, or cheer, or message of thanks or encouragement and then anyone and everyone can sign their name. J

If your banner will be from a group, I recommend writing the group name along one edge, left or right (across the bottom is less good as that part may drag the ground). Signatures can go all over!

DEADLINE: The banners must be received by Tuesday, April 23,2013.

 

 

Yay! Three Banners Received :)

I've posted recently here on this blog  and also cross-posted over on Hooah Wife & Friends that I'm collecting banners to be used to cheer on the riders at the World T.E.A.M. Sports Face of America bike ride

I've already received 3 banners,yay! and here they are :)

Keep 'em coming,thanks!
and also many thanks to those who have also been spreading the word, like Assoluta Tranquillita

Remember, for more info and the mailing address, you can email me at kasee60(at)gmail(dot)com or, you can check out the public Facebook event page I've created Here

Someone recently asked me what we had done with previous years' banners, we have sent them to either Walter Reed or to troops serving overseas after the bike ride, which is why we always ask for new banners every year.
 

Banners needed for the 2013 Face of America bike ride!

This year, I will again be collecting banners to use at the 2013 Face of America bike ride 

as I've done in the past

 

 

The banners are hung along the ride at rest stops and lunch stops to cheer the riders along with messages of support.

 If you, or a group that you know, would be interested in making and donating a banner to be used at the bike ride, please email me with the subject line Banner to  kasee60@gmail.com  

 Here are the instructions we've used in the past for how to make banners :)

Making a banner can be very simple or very elaborate. we will describe the simplest and most inexpensive versions and you can go from there.

 

Materials needed:
ONE light-colored pillow case (e.g., white, yellow, powder blue)
OR

ONE light colored cotton T-shirt (M-XL)

OR

ONE Light colored twin sheet

ONE package of multicolored Sharpie (or any type of) permanent markers (maybe two pkgs if you’re doing a sheet!)

OR

Tubs of tempera paints(a couple bright colors) and paint brushes/sponges, plus permanent markers for folks to sign their names

NOTE: Many fluorescent colors and yellow do not show up well on light colored fabric; select paint/marker colors that have a high contrast with banner fabric.

Optional: Stencils from a craft store to help sketch out the letters in pencil before using the permanent markers or paints (or use stencils to trace and cut out fabric letters)

NO, NOs (please!):

No poles or sticks (hard to transport; all banners will be hung from clothesline or fences, etc)

No paper (gets soggy and tears in rain and morning dew)

No glossy photos (get soggy and tear in rain and morning dew)

Fabric banners are best because they are easiest transport and to secure to ropes and fences with clothes pins or safety pins.
 

With your pens or whatever, decorate your banner with a simple wish, or cheer, or message of thanks or encouragement and then anyone and everyone can sign their name. J

If your banner will be from a group, I recommend writing the group name along one edge, left or right (across the bottom is less good as that part may drag the ground). Signatures can go all over!

DEADLINE: The banners must be received by Tuesday, April 23,2013.

This year's bike ride will be April 26-28 and we want to make sure we get it in time to take it to the bike ride!

Thank so much! if you or your group would like to send a banner to help support the riders Participants include many disabled veterans, along with currently active military and retired military. Active duty service and emergency response men and women also join hundreds of able-bodied citizens who ride together.

 

Please feel free to pass the word along about this!

 

2013 Face of America Bike Ride April 26-28

WE ALL RIDE THE SAME ROAD THIS APRIL 26-28, 2013

World T.E.A.M. Sports‘ Face of America bicycle ride brings together riders with disabilities and riders who are able-bodied. In its 11th year, the ride from the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia to the historic battlefields of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania includes about 500 participants annually.

The Face of America rides honor the men and women who were wounded or disabled while in service to their nation. Participants include many disabled veterans, along with currently active military and retired military. Active duty service and emergency response men and women also join hundreds of able-bodied citizens who ride together.

 From its launch as a cross-country ride in the summer of 2000, through two years of serving as the official 9/11 commemorative ride from Ground Zero in New York to Washington, to the current Washington to Gettysburg route, the Face of America ride has brought together civilians, active duty military, first responders and adaptive veterans in an inclusive bicycle ride. This April 26 through 28, the Face of America bicycle ride returns.

New for 2013, participants can select their challenge. Riders may choose our popular, fully-supported two-day ride from the Pentagon near Washington, DC to the historic battlefields of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Or, a rider may accept the challenge of one or both of our new one day metric century loop rides beginning and ending in Gettysburg. Through either option, these rides bring unique opportunities to honor America’s servicemen and women who have been wounded or injured, as they set and achieve new goals.

The 2013 Face of America is not just a bike ride. It is an opportunity to share stories and build camaraderie with 500 participants while honoring America’s disabled veterans and the American spirit. With many returning riders each year, this inspiring event has a limited number of entries.

Military veterans with disabilities pay no fees to participate. All other participants pay a minimal registration fee and need to meet or exceed minimum fundraising goals. All funds raised through participant fundraising will pay the costs of those participants with disabilities, along with event costs. Any remaining funds are applied to support upcoming World T.E.A.M. Sports events across the United States.

-----------------------------

If you are interested in learning more about riding in the above ride, sponsoring a rider, or volunteering, please go HERE
 

Volunteering for the Face of America Bike Ride for 5 years

In 2007, I found through Soldiers Angels an opportunity to volunteer at an event, the
World T.E.A.M.Sports Face of America Bike Ride
(which that year was a ride from Gettysburg to Bethesda)
and so my daughter and I drove up to MD for a Sunday afternoon of volunteering in 2007

(daughter April was a freshman in high school that year)

A link to more pics from 2007  HERE 

We enjoyed so much being a part of the event that in 2008 we went up to Bethesda,MD again to volunteer on the 'Banner Hanging Team' on the first day of the event (the ride that year was from Bethesda,MD to Gettysburg)

More pics from 2008 HERE

In 2009 for the first time we were able to volunteer for the entire weekend (well, my daughter was,lol, I went to the Milblog Conference the first day and left her to volunteer, and then we both went to hang banners along the stops on the second day of the trip up to Gettysburg:)

here's April with a friend that we made over the years of volunteering

and here's me that year with another  friend we never would've met if we hadn't volunteered:)

Pictures from 2009  HERE


Again in 2010 we volunteered on Saturday and Sunday to hang banners  made by folks all over the US to cheer the riders along, at all the rest and lunch stops, and at the beginning and end of the bicycle ride. The ride that year for the first time started in DC, but ended at Seamus' house in Gettysburg as it had in prior years.

Pics from 2010 here


Last year in 2011 my daughter was a college freshman! and we were able to volunteer for almost the whole weekend once again.

and pics from 2011 are here and here


Thanks! to Soldiers Angels and World T.E.A.M. Sports Face of America Bike ride for 5 years of wonderful memories while volunteering!

Face of America Bike Ride 2012

The year the WORLD T.E.A.M. Sports Face of America Bike Ride will be April 27-29, from Washington,DC to Gettysburg,PA.

My daughter and I spent the past 5 years volunteering at this event, and although we won't be able to attend this year, I can't say enough about what an amazing event this bike ride is to be a part of,so I wanted to be sure to pass the information on about the ride.

Fundraising for the Face of America Bike Ride

                                           (Beginning of Face of America bike ride 2010)

For the 5th year in a row, our family will be volunteering at the Face of America Bike Ride put on by
World TEAM sports. This ride honors and assists our military:injured,veterans, and active duty.Disabled and able-bodied riders participate in this two day ride from Washington,DC to Gettysburg,PA using both bicycles and hand-cycles.

                                          (photo from 2010 Face of America bike ride)
This has been a most inspiring event year after year for our family to participate in as volunteers,

                                      (Banners from the 2010 Face of America bike ride, we volunteer
                                        on the 'Banner Hanging Team'!:)


 and this year World TEAM sports has provided the volunteers with donation pages to help raise funds towards this event. There is NO charge for injured servicemen and women to participate in this event.. World T.E.A.M. Sports pays costs for travel, lodging and participation of injured servicemen and women.

If you would like to make a donation towards this ride pairing disabled veterans and able bodied riders to demonstrate what is 'possible when we all work together'?('We All Ride the Same Road')
 
Here are the links to the donation pages for myself , my husband , and our daughter ,
 and please feel free to use one of these links to make a donation towards this worthy cause.
(It's not necessary for us to raise funds as volunteers, but we're providing the links because we believe in the mission of World TEAM sports)
 
And Thank You! if you are able to make a donation!