The Wounded Warrior Project attracted record-breaking participation numbers to its 10th annual Soldier Ride in Babylon.
The Soldier Ride, an annual 25-mile bicycle race that takes place across many U.S. cities, had over 1,500 racers line up July 21 in Babylon.
“[The participation] was the most ever for a race,” said Tara Lee of the Wounded Warrior Project. “It was really awesome for the 10-year anniversary.”
The previous record for participants was about 1,300, Lee noted.
The race began in front of the Babylon Town Hall in Lindenhurst, headed across the Robert Moses Causeway and finished at Overlook Beach for a community picnic.
Accompanying the local residents who hopped on bicycles were over 50 wounded veterans.
Among the wounded veterans was Suffolk County Police Department‘s newly sworn in police officer Matias Ferreira, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who lost both of his legs during service in Afghanistan in 2011.
(Ferreira is the first double-amputee police officer to be full service with a police department.)
In support of Officer Ferriera, the Suffolk County Police Department participated for the first time in the ride.
“The Suffolk County Police Department is extremely proud to support our nation’s military veterans, including the more than 500 veterans who are currently continuing their public service as members of our police department,” said Police Commissioner Timothy Sini in a Facebook post.
As of Monday, the race had generated over $85,000, according to the Wounded Warrior Project. Donations are still being collected online for 30 days following the race.
The proceeds are split evenly between the Wounded Warrior Project and the Suffolk County United Veterans.
“We always like [Babylon], it is a great community,” Lee said. “The local support there is the best we’ve seen.”
In addition to Babylon, there was another Soldier Ride on Long Island, about 50 miles east on the South Fork. On Saturday, the day after Babylon’s race, 400 riders teamed up for a ride through the Hamptons to Montauk Point State Park.
Top: Racers participating in the 2017 Babylon Soldier Ride on Main Street in Babylon Village (Nicholas Esposito).
