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I am fortunate to live in the United States and to have many colleagues, friends, and family that have made sacrifices for me—an ordinary naturalized citizen. And I acknowledge the tremendous opportunity I have to leverage my physical efforts to support those that serve us.
The reason for the ride is to bring awareness to and help prevent veteran suicides. "Save 22 A Day" references a common statistic that 22 veterans commit suicide each day.
Friends and family asked if I am raising money and I am embarrassed to say that my response was no. I was spending an incredible amount of time and energy preparing for this event. My parents tried to install a sense of volunteerism. Even prior to their retirement, they gave their time to help others who needed it. My parents are proud members of a local Civitan International chapter and raise money to support those with mental and physical disabilities.
Therefore, I'll be raising funds for the Badges United Foundation and promoting their campaigns for suicide prevention.
Suicide is the connection between Veterans and First Responders
I met Kim through a work colleague whose passion is supporting Veterans' causes. Kim is a graduate of West Point, who served in the Army as a military police officer, deployed to Afghanistan, suffers from PTSD, and more importantly is a suicide attempt survivor.
After extensive research and developing a rock solid business case, Kim and her co-founder Sara created Badges United Foundation (BUF). They recognized they were incredibly fortunate to have access to numerous non-profits designed for improving veterans' physical and mental health. They also identified their domestic counterparts—fire, police, and rescue do not have similar access to these services.
Their research identified more than 40,000 non-profit organizations providing mental and wellness support to veterans and less than 100 organizations that offered similar services to both veterans and first responders. Badges United Foundation is the first non-profit organization to solely support first responders' well-being through experiential environments and learning workshops.
Artwork provided by Dansun Photo Art
First responders risk their lives everyday to ensure the safety of our communities. Often, they respond to difficult calls that expose them to traumatic situations.
"First Responders are just as likely to develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as Combat Veterans."
and
"For the past three years, First Responders have been more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty.
Badges United Foundation enhances first responders’ overall wellness through exercise, nutrition, and sleep education so they can be physically and mentally prepared to support our communities by hosting free recreational events for them and their significant others. These events teach wellness techniques and broaden their support network so they can ask for help during difficult times. In the event first responders need a higher level of care, Badges United Foundation connects them to inpatient and outpatient therapeutic resources.
Artwork provided by Dansun Photo Art
Currently, BUF is self funded and offering these events locally in the DC metropolitan area through partnerships with local departments. Their long-term goal is to expand to cities across the United States.
This is me begging...
I am doing the easy part but Kim and Sara are climbing uphill to promote awareness and help prevent suicide. If you are compelled to help them, please consider making a donation to support their efforts via my FundRazr site. If you have questions for me, send an email to: LadiesInspiredtoCycle@gmail.com. Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/ladiesinspiredtocycle/
Co-Founder Kim DeFiori (shown with Thor)
Kim DeFiori is a retired Army Officer who is passionate about helping others through their healing journey. Kim graduated from West Point in 2008 and deployed to Afghanistan. After she redeployed, she tried to push past her Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), but finally realized she needed to ask for help. Kim spent two years healing from PTSD through various methods from 1 on 1 therapy to snowboarding in Vail. She found the path to her healing was through a mindfulness journey and experience. Kim serves as the CEO of BUF with her PTSD service dog Thor. She is currently working towards her Executive MBA through Cornell University.
Co-Founder Sara Laszaic
Sara Laszaic is a retired Army Officer who is dedicated to helping First Responders by sharing her personal struggles with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, her journey of healing, and promoting wellness in others. Sara graduated from the University of South Florida in 2009 where she majored in Criminology. She went on to serve her community as a Police Officer and also served in the Army as Military Police. She has extensive experience in a multitude of therapeutic modalities that helped on her path to healing. Sara is a certified life coach and is pursing her graduate degree in mental health counseling.
Note: Content that describes Badges United Foundation provided by Kim and I have permission to use! Artwork provided by Dansun Photo Art.
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