FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Two prominent Bay Area Veterans Advocacy groups have announced plans to conduct a transnational bicycle ride to publicize and heighten public awareness of veterans issues such as climbing suicide rates and homelessness, national budgeting concerns and the increased militarization of our cities.
The campaign, dubbed the “Jacob George Memorial Bike Ride for Peace” will cover the entirety of the west coast before turning eastward to Arkansas to honor the memory and work of Jacob George, an army veteran from Arkansas who, after having completed 3 tours of Afghanistan, dedicated the rest of his life to peace. Jacob committed suicide in September of 2014.
Veterans for Peace San Francisco chapter 69 and Occupy Veterans San Francisco hope that the public awareness campaign will open localized discussion regarding the national concerns that the groups feel reflect the “true costs of war: personal,social ,and environmental disintegration.
An Occupy Veterans San Francisco group of mixed era military veterans will spearhead the effort with a “flying squad” of four cyclists bound for the Veterans for Peace National Convention to be held in San Diego, CA August 5 through 9.
Veterans for Peace will present the cyclists with a memorial flag that they will carry to the family of Jacob George; who had inspired the group with his cycling campaign, “Operation Awareness” and “Ride to the End.”
The cyclists will depart from San Diego at the conclusion of the convention on August 9.
WHAT: Transnational bike ride of veterans group/educational publicity stunt
WHO: Occupy movement military veterans and Veterans for Peace
WHEN: June-September
Campaign coordinator/lead cyclist:
Michael Clift (OccupyVeterans and Veterans for Peace Nomad chapter)
[email protected]
www.occupyveteransanfrancisco.weebly.com
#ICM3
#OVSF
A Soldier's Heart: Music and videos of Jacob George
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EX6VpKA3MyI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY0nIvK2Eks