"Wheels of Hope" is a unique sporting event whose purpose is to draw the attention of the public and the media to the serious problem of the missing in America.

 

According to statistics supplied by the federal government, someone is reported missing in America every 40 seconds. That figure comes out to app. 2,500 people a day and approximately 800,000 people a year! It is a statistic that is staggering, to say the least. The numbers are so large, in fact, that this scenario has come to be called, "The silent mass disaster."

 

Most Americans are unaware of just how drastic this situation is, including myself up to three years ago. When a local teenager disappeared I volunteered to help the family and quickly found out the truth of what is happening in America. Experiencing the pain of a family first hand did something to me that I never got over and my life has never been the same.

 

This year, I felt the need to bring awareness to Kelsie Jean Schelling and all the missing from Colorado and came up with an idea that I thought would get the public's attention. Knowing that Kelsie made a trip in her car from Denver to Pueblo, Colorado before disappearing made an instant connection with me as an active handcyclist, and handcycle sport touring enthusiast. I knew from experience how high profile my sport is and the general public's response to it so it wasn't hard to see that combing my sport with the awareness for the missing was a winning combination and "Wheels of Hope" was born.

 

It is easy for the plight of the families of the missing and their loved one's to be forgotten and that to me is more painful that words can describe. I will never forget the words the mother of a missing person said to me earlier this year whose daughter has been missing since 2006 and is one of the highest profile missing cases in America. Even with all the work this mother has done to keep the word out, she admitted to me that her greatest fear was that her daughter would be forgotten.

 

In closing, I want to say that this event is NOT about me nor do I want it to be. My hearts desire is to bring help, hope, and healing to these precious hurting families. Please join with me in this effort to do just that this coming September 11-14 and let's all Keep Hope Alive!