As a first time participant, I was amazed at how well things were organized considering how many riders were on the course. The check in was easy with little wait time and the volunteers were all over the place facilitating with getting the bikes checked out and racked for the beginning of the ride. I have to hand it to the volunteers. The volunteers that got us safely through the intersections, the ones that gave us food and drinks at the rest stops, the ones who loaded our luggage, the ones that fixed our bikes and the ones that assisted us if we got injured were incredible individuals who deserve a huge thank you! I also think the marshals did a fantastic job of keeping the course safe and making sure the riders were doing okay. At one point I was afraid I wasn't going to make it to the next rest stop and a marshal worked me through the rough spots by blocking the wind and even giving me a slight push--not much but it was enough to give me what it took to get me to the next stop! The organizers who put this together get a very sincere thank you from me. As a wounded veteran I appreciate all the hard work that went in to putting this event together and hope I can attend next year as part of team Warriors 4 Life.
I have been attending World Team events, including the Adventure Team Challenge in Colorado and the Face of America ride to Gettysburg, for the past 4 years now and they have changed my life. The entire World Team staff are some of the kindest, most caring, and hard-working people I have ever met. Each year the events just get better and better. I have made incredible life-long friendships through these events and have seen the impact that they have had on the lives of so many disabled participants first-hand. Thank you World Team!!
Review from Guidestar
The ride was great in theory. Had too many participants v. Volunteers.
A few volunteers were fantastic. (Mark?) Others very detached or confused. A couple just not nice.
The rider I was with was overwhelmed.
And I believe there should have been better communication and more attention paid to logistics and rest periods for the disabled vets.
I would not attend again.
Any NP that gets vets active is great. It's a wonderful way to help vets thrive and to connect them with the greater support community that cares deeply. This org is exceptional, bending over backwards to get active duty and injured veterans active.
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After attending their "face of America" ride in dc this past weekend I am mortified at the things that transpired.
Insufficient meals for the wounded riders ,lack of communication or leadership, veterans left to fend for themselves with luggage and equipment ,no medical personal on staff at the ride ,injuries being ignored and on and on. More than 20 miles between rest Areas etc. They are dangerous for our wounded warriors.
Not to mention rude and detached volunteers who were more concerned with their needs then of the disabled veterans participating in the ride.
richardrhinehart 05/13/2014
World T.E.A.M. Sports recently celebrated 20 years of organizing and managing inclusive sporting events for veteran and civilian athletes with and without disabilities. Our non-profit organization has encouraged and celebrated the potential of all athletes to overcome challenges in events ranging from climbs of Himalayan mountain peaks, a cross-country bicycle ride in Vietnam with former combatants, multi-sport adventure races in Colorado, and our Face of America ride from the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia to the historic battlefields of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Over the years, the Face of America ride has included thousands of injured veterans from the United States, Canada, and other nations, and this year included more than 130 injured veterans and more than 400 active-duty and retired military and civilians from 35 states, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Denmark. World T.E.A.M. Sports ensures that each of our events is planned and executed with the highest level of safety and that each of our participants is treated with the utmost dignity. Our meals, routes, and logistics incorporate years of positive and constructive feedback as we continuously strive to meet the needs and wishes of our participants. We recognize that in events with such large numbers of participants, we will not always be able to please everyone. While we are truly sorry that we did not meet the expectations of the rider above, we appreciate his or her feedback, and are grateful that we are able to serve so many others who come back year after year.