a month after her MRP ride. The success of the whole program was
apparent, and hope through healing was happening right before the riders’ eyes. Spirits were lifted, and smiles were encour- aging and widespread. “We came together in our pain but
bonded in our joy,” said Jody. A few women were even able to picture
themselves taking their admittedly some- times rather “over-spirited” riding style on tarmac to getting their therapy at much lower speeds on dirt roads that challenged them much more, mentally and physically. From an incredibly beautiful Utah back-
drop to the impeccable service and support of the MRP team of volunteers, generous donors and supporters, the first all-female MRP event could not have run smoother. “I was nervous going into the ride since
we’d never done a women’s ride before,” said Tom Larson, founder and executive direc- tor of MRP. “I knew what to expect on our men’s rides, but had no idea what to expect from female veterans. Fortunately, all my anxiety proved to be
unfounded. The
women on the ride were awesome in every way and in some ways even tougher than some of the male veterans we’ve had. I guess I should have expected women who joined the military to be tough, but these ladies were amazing. They were fearless when it
came to learning how to ride on dirt for the first time and fearless with sharing stories about their trauma and their struggles. It was a fantastic week; we plan to make this an annual event and look forward to heal- ing more of our great veterans.” Personally, I am in awe of the great work
of the entire MRP team and have been motivated by the strength and soul of each of the women with whom I had the privi- lege to get to know and to share my pas- sions for riding and self-improvement. The Motorcycle Relief Project is living
proof that our community of motorcyclists continues to grow not only in members, but more importantly, in its relevance to soci- ety. I know I can speak for all past and future participants in thanking all for sup- porting the Motorcycle Relief Project. You are the change. According to Larson and the Veterans
Administration, PTSD and other invisible injuries are major concerns for many mili- tary veterans. A minimum of 250,000 vet- erans of the
conflicts in Iraq and
Afghanistan have PTSD, while more than 8,000 veterans commit suicide every year. The Veterans Administration says that “a final transition to home and to the commu- nity is a goal for many veterans, and recre- ation therapy helps create the catalyst for successful community reentry.”
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100
