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Veterans sweat in preparation for Wheels4Change fundraiser

Akron Beacon Journal (OH) - 2/1/2015

Feb. 01--WADSWORTH -- Cassie Schumacher knows the value workouts can have for veterans' physical and emotional health.

That's why exercise is at the core of Wheels4Change, a nonprofit veterans support organization she founded. It's also why about 15 vets and Wheels4Change volunteers gathered Saturday to sweat through a grueling workout at Advanced Performance Crossfit.

The workout was a warm-up for the organization's upcoming fundraiser, Pedal for Heroes. It was a way to prepare the veterans physically for the challenge and give them a taste of one of the fitness alternatives they'll be able to pursue as part of the fundraiser.

For 20 minutes, the participants performed burpees and wall balls and power cleans, Crossfit speak for moves that involved a lot of squatting, jumping, weightlifting and shooting heavy medicine balls at targets well above their heads. They worked in two-person tag teams in an effort to achieve 279 reps per team, one for each of the Ohioans who have died in action since 9/11.

They jumped into the challenge eagerly as Macklemore's Can't Hold Us pounded through the speakers. But 10 minutes into the workout, the strain was showing on some in the group. Faces were red. Breathing was labored. One left sweaty handprints on the floor after a series of burpees, moves that marry squat thrusts and pushups.

A handful of Crossfit coaches circulated among the group, dispensing pointers and offering encouragement. "You got it, brother. Keep working! Keep working!" shouted Adam Moravitz, a coach who also serves in the National Guard's112th Engineer Battalion out of Brook Park.

When the interminable 20 minutes were up, Akron veteran Marvin Smith slumped on a stack of weight plates to catch his breath.

The workout was more intense than the 50-year-old had expected. "I thought I was gonna pass out," he said with a laugh.

The exercise might have left the veterans fatigued, but Schumacher knows that ultimately they'll be stronger because of it.

A licensed counselor and distance cyclist, she understands the way physical activity can improve health and alleviate the post traumatic stress disorder that many veterans experience. The veterans she works with -- many of them homeless -- are also more inclined to open up and talk when they're exercising, she said, which helps her identify the issues they face and point them to the services they need.

Program participants help fix up used bicycles that have been donated to the organization and can earn one to keep through community service work. They can also earn gym memberships and race fees.

Akron vet Chris Burgess said he struggled after his discharge from the Marine Corps and served time for felony drug possession. But since he got involved with Wheels4Change last year, he's landed a job as a machinist apprentice and started studying business at the University of Akron.

"I finally got myself back on track," he said.

Pedal for Heroes will help fund the work of Wheels4Change and draw attention to veterans and their sacrifice, Schumacher said.

Despite its name, the event isn't just a bike ride. Participants pay $35 to work out at either Advanced Performance Crossfit or any of four other venues, which have events scheduled Feb. 22 to 25. The participants can pursue whatever form of exercise they wish, but the aim is to work out one minute for each of the 279 Ohio service members who have given their lives.

More information on Wheels4Change and its Pedal for Heroes fundraiser are at http://wheels4change.org.

Mary Beth Breckenridge can be reached at 330-996-3756 or mbrecken@thebeaconjournal.com. You can also become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MBBreckABJ, follow her on Twitter @MBBreckABJ and read her blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/mary-beth.

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(c)2015 the Akron Beacon Journal (Akron, Ohio)

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