Summer shopping just got sweeter! Macy’s selected Pedal4Life to compete in the Macy’s Shop for a Cause event that will take place July 11^th – August 9^th. Donate $5 or more to Pedal4Life (via the link below) and receive a free, exclusive Macy’s savings card in the mail. Non-profits who raise the most money will be awarded large cash donations from Macy’s to support their causes. Since we’ll be up against some large, well-known non-profits, we need YOUR help!

When the site goes live at precisely noon EST (11 AM CST) on July 11^th, Macy’s will match dollar-for dollar the first non-profit to receive TEN $100 donations.

Please visit the link below to learn more and consider making a donation. Help us hit our goal of 10 $100 donations and please share this with your friends and family – it’s an exciting opportunity to shop and make a difference!

https://www.crowdrise.com/pedal4life    

Joe Czurylo (left) with wife at HeroInMe Ride rest stop. 

Joe Czurylo proudly served as a member of the US Army Reserves from 1982 to 1995. As a recovering alcoholic, Joe has been an active member of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) for 16 years, attending meetings and mentoring fellow veterans. Joe, along with many other veterans, participated in the HeroInMe Ride on May 21^st, 2017.  This was Joe’s first exposure to Pedal4Life, but not his first exposure to opioid addiction.

“Many veterans are dually addicted to both alcohol and opioids,” he explained. “I see opioid addicts kind of like ‘cousins’ because a lot of treatment centers also use the 12-Step Rehab Program to help them recover.”

Part of Pedal4Life’s mission is to invite veterans, who have already used bicycling to help them succeed in their recovery from SUD (Substance Use Disorder) and overdose, opportunities to mentor and inspire civilians in drug treatment facilities. Pedal4Life’s partnership with veterans appealed to many of the cyclists participating in the HeroInMe Ride, including Bill Jastrow, a local high school teacher: “I was drawn to the event because I like to do whatever I can to support veterans.”  

Joe stated that having a supportive community is key to the recovery process as well as getting active: “[It’s] an important facet to recovery because addiction steals a lot of that which you love to do like travel, music, and fishing…that’s why I like that word ‘recovery,’ – I feel like I am recovering those things in my life.”

To find out more about how you can help other veterans to recover, please visit the Pedal4Life website and consider donating.

 

[Blog post and photo by Katelyn Smith, Pedal4Life]

Karen and Kevin Fox posing at rest stop # 2 at the HeroInMe Ride. 

Kevin Fox, 20, is fighting to stay sober after battling a five-year heroin addiction. He and his mother, Karen, an avid cyclist and former college athlete, participated in Sunday’s HeroInMe Ride that drew 60 cyclists from many parts of Illinois’ DuPage and Will Counties. The bicycle fundraiser supported and raised awareness for those who are either struggling with addiction, in recovery, or who have died from opioid overdose or other substance use disorders (SUD).  “The hardest part of my recovery,” said Kevin, “is dealing with my emotions and blocking the cravings.”   

Karen is an active member of the recovery community and Kevin has been a patient at the Banyan Treatment Center, in Naperville, which is how she found out about the event.  As a lifelong athlete, she loves riding her bicycle and was excited for the chance to do something fun with her son. Kevin said he also enjoys biking with his mother and that he could see himself getting into it more as part of his recovery process. Banyan sponsored the HeroInMe Ride; its patients are the event’s beneficiaries.

In his opening ceremony remarks, Pedal4Life President, Ira David Levy, explained the numerous benefits of cycling for someone recovering from opioid addiction, such as connecting with a healthy community, releasing natural endorphins from exercise, and accessing transportation to support meetings and job interviews. Karen said she feels physical and emotional freedom when biking. “It’s my therapy….Biking allows me to get away from it all and gives me time to pray.” She then broke down in tears. “I’m crying from the pain of it all.”

Dealing with an opioid addiction is extremely difficult, affecting both the individuals with the disease and their families. The longest Kevin has stayed sober during the past five years is five months. After surviving a recent overdose, he’s remained sober for one month. He said that he’d just lost his 16th friend to an opioid overdose a few days prior to the HeroInMe Ride.

To learn more about what you can do to support people like Kevin and Karen, visit Pedal4Life’s website and please consider donating. Kevin, like millions of others, are working tirelessly to stay sober and events like the HeroInMe Ride show them that they’re not alone on their road to recovery.

[Blog post and photo by Katelyn Smith, Pedal4Life] 

 

Our Mission

We use bicycling to help veterans and civilians recovering from substance abuse addiction to re-enter and remain in their communities as productive, respected, and inspirational members.

We aim to increase access to bicycles and bike infrastructure for those who live in underserved and at-risk communities.