2012 Sea to Shining Sea Cross-Country Bicycle Ride Welcomes Semper Fi Fund as a Sponsor

Holbrook, New York, May 18, 2012: World T.E.A.M. Sports CEO and President Paul Tyler announced today that the Semper Fi Fund, a nonprofit providing financial support for injured and critically ill members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families, has joined as a sponsor of the second Sea to Shining Sea cross-country bicycle ride with wounded warriors from America’s military.

The Semper Fi Fund is providing financial support for Marines participating in this year’s ride, which leaves San Francisco on May 28 and arrives in Virginia Beach, Virginia on July 28. The ride includes 20 disabled veterans from all services, who will ride bicycles, hand cycles and recumbents on their nearly 4,000 mile cross-country journey through 14 states. Cities included in the 2012 ride include Reno, Salt Lake City, Denver, Colorado Springs, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., and Richmond.

“The Semper Fi Fund is honored to be sponsoring United States Marines, LCpl James Sheehan and Sgt Michael Manning in their participation in World T.E.A.M. Sports Sea to Shining Sea ride. We wish James, Michael and all the riders a safe trip as they take on the adventure of a lifetime riding across our nation to help to raise awareness for our injured and critically ill service members and families,” said Karen Guenther, Founder/President/CEO, of the Semper Fi Fund.

“We are proud to have our riders carry the Semper Fi Fund logo on their personal journey across the country this summer,” said Tyler. “Their support has enabled a group of proud wounded warriors to see the country they so valiantly defended.”

Participants of the Sea to Shining Sea ride include veterans who live with disabilities ranging from loss of limbs to blindness to Post Traumatic Stress. Veterans in the ride served America in wars from Afghanistan and Iraq to Vietnam.

The 2012 Sea to Shining Sea ride is supported through sponsorships by State Farm, American Portfolios, MWV, Dominion, the Semper Fi Foundation, the USO, BNY – Mellon, General Electric, GM Fleet and Commercial, Brown Shoe Company and Famous Footwear, Energizer Holdings, Altria, EnerSys, Occidental Petroleum, Magaschoni Apparel, Penske Truck Rental, Vedder Price, the El Pomar Foundation and George Puskar.

About the Semper Fi Fund

Since 2006, Team Semper Fi has operated as the rehabilitative athletic program of the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, a nonprofit that provides immediate financial support to qualified injured and critically ill service members and their families.

The over 335 service members who are a part of Team Semper Fi have overcome significant challenges in their service to our country, and have refused to let those challenges prevent them from competing in athletic events. They are an inspiration to us all, but more importantly, they inspire their fellow service members who are also traveling down the road to recovery.

About World T.E.A.M. Sports

World T.E.A.M. Sports is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization chartered in North Carolina and headquartered in Holbrook, New York. For more than 20 years, World T.E.A.M. Sports has organized athletic events for disabled and able bodied citizens – mountain climbing, white water rafting, biking, and more. In all our events – whether mountain climbing, biking, white water rafting or many other sports – we include both disabled and able-bodied participants. Four things always happen at our events: 1) Disabled participants build self-confidence and physical fitness. 2) The disabled provide a role model for other disabled citizens, encouraging them to take up physical activities. 3) The disabled become a moving inspiration to other participants and to spectators when they see that disabled individuals can meet challenges beyond anyone’s imagination. 4) The disabled and able-bodied participants learn to work as a team to overcome those challenges. We change lives through sports.