Smithtown cycling enthusiasts are invited to partake in special community bicycle ride to raise awareness for Operation Jake. On Saturday, September 5th beginning at 9:30 AM, all willing participants are welcome to join in the bike ride which will begin at Veterans Park at 99 West Main St. Smithtown, after a commemorative press conference. The 14.3 mile bike route is a scenic trip towards Commack, along Somers Lane to Half Hollow Road, on to Kings Park via New York State Bicycle Route along 25A to Kings Park Blvd and circling back to Smithtown finishing up at Napper Tandy’s Irish Pub, at 15 East Main St, where post bike ride celebrations will take place.
The Operation Jake team and local officials have orchestrated the free community bike ride to help bring funding, support and awareness to the 2,000 mile country wide bike ride beginning September 15th, from Atlanta Georgia to Manhattan, to reach out to veterans and document their stories to address PTSD.
“No one signs up for PTSD. They sign up to save American lives. It’s high time we show them our gratitude. We need to begin to correct PTSD before it’s an issue and do it without creating a negative stigma, utilizing the latest treatments to address PTSD in our Veterans and how it affects family. These men and women were willing to give their lives for us. They have done their job and now it’s time to do ours.” – Shannon Burbage and Ronald Perrone of Operation Jake
The Operation Jake bike tour will commence on September 15th 2015 from Atlanta, Georgia and head north east traveling through to Savannah, Georgia. From Savannah, GA the Operation Jake team will head to Washington DC from October 7th through the 10th. From Washington, the bike ride will continue east to Annapolis, Virginia, then to Philadelphia and finish in New York City. At each destination, BeesWELL founders Shannon Burbage and Ronald Perrone will stop to speak, listen and document the stories of homeless veterans along the way while giving out BeesWELL Personal Stoves and Survival Kits. The intent of the bicycle tour is to raise awareness of PTSD within each community by documenting each story and giving every Hero they meet a helping hand.
“If it wasn’t for local officials like Ed Wehrhiem and Vinny Puleo this bike ride couldn’t be possible. We want the opportunity to thank both of them along with Congressman Lee Zeldin, who helped us bring Operation Jake to Washignton D.C. and Suffolk County Veterans Services’ Tom Ronayne, who has been instrumental to our cause.” – Ron Perrone of BeesWELL Inc.
A press conference will be held prior to the bike ride at 9 AM at Veterans Park on the corner of Main Street and Maple Avenue at the memorial honoring local veterans.
For more information on Operation Jake or the special Smithtown Bike Tour, visit Operation Jake online
Members of the Press can contact Operation Jake and BeesWELL founder Ron Perrone for interviews or further information via email at admin@beeswell.buzz or Call 516.650.4986