Smiles abound as (from left to right) Sgt. Steve Siluwec, U.S. Army (ret) Wounded Warrior; Matthew Modine, Actor;and Corporal Tim Stroebel, U.S. Army (ret) Wounded Warrior pose next to some of the special edition bikes. Photo courtesy of Kimberly McCabe.
A special edition series of bicycles that will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project was introduced last week by Worksman Cycles, based in Ozone Park.
The Wounded Warrior Project is a nonprofit organization that raises awareness and provides aid to members of the military who have lost their limbs while defending our country.
Wayne Sosin, president of Worksman Cycles, said that they wanted to create a bicycle that had Wounded Warriors graphics on it, which would help raise money for their organization and, in turn, help raise awareness for their bicycle company, which also sells food vending carts. Sosin added that the consumer also benefits because they get the good feeling of supporting a patriotic organization.
“We look at it as a win, win, win situation,” Sosin said.
The Wounded Warrior Project was started in 2003 and, according to its website, woundedwarriorproject.org, it began when several veterans and friends heard stories about the first service members returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan, and wanted to help other people in need. It started as a way to provide comfort items to service men and women and has grown into a full-scale rehab effort to help people that were soldiers get back to civilian life.
The special edition bikes are available in three different frames, Men’s Destroyer Heavyweight Cruiser and Men’s and Women’s Patrol Midweight Roadsters. The bikes all start at $419 and depending on what custom configurations you get on the bike can cost up to about $600. Ten percent of the sale from the bike will go to Wounded Warrior. If you buy a bike for the $419 price tag, about $42 will go to the nonprofit organization. About $60 will go to Wounded Warrior if you buy the bike with the customizations.
According to a press release, there is no limit to how much one can donate to the organization when buying the special edition bike.
Al Giordano, deputy executive director and co-founder of the Wounded Warrior Project, said that the types of bikes that they made are ideal to ride in New York City because they are heavy bikes that are better for riding in the city as opposed to a mountain bike, which are lighter. Cruiser bikes have features like wide seats and upright handlebars and are better for people who prefer comfort over speed when riding a bike.
Worksman introduced the bikes at a press conference last week. Sosin was joined by Giordano, and Matthew Modine, an actor who has been in movies such as “Full Metal Jacket” and “Any Given Sunday.”
According to Sosin, Modine got involved in this project partly because he is a huge bike riding advocate. He also said that Modine once participated in the Wounded Warriors bike ride in California, which is called Soldier Ride. Since then, he’s been promoting that organization and bringing awareness to their cause.
Sosin said that he feels great to have worked with the Wounded Warrior on this project and he sees the bikes they created as a way to honor the service that members of that organization have done.
“The people there deserve our support,” Sosin said. “These are the real American heroes and they’ve paid a big sacrifice and we need to be there for them.”
Giordano said that doing the bicycle program with Worksman seemed like a natural fit because part of what they preach to its members is to exercise.
“It’s about getting them out there and doing active things,” said Giordano, who was in the U.S Marine Corps from 1981 until 1985 and was recalled during the Persian Gulf War from 1991 to 1993.
He added that they are in talks with Worksman to create a special addition series of hand cycles, for people that do not have legs, and side to side tandem bikes, for people who are blind, that will also have the Wounded Warrior graphics on it.
As for the future, although Sosin wouldn’t divulge the specifics, but he did say that the company plans on partnering with another organization in releasing a special edition series of bikes. He declined to give details regarding those bikes, but he did say that the target date for its release is around the middle of May.
By Luis Gronda
