Team 26 Pedaling With Mettle To DC
Team 26 is on its way to Washington, DC, where the 26 cyclists will hold a press conference on Tuesday, May 8, at 2 pm, to urge Congress for a ban of AR-15 rifles and high capacity gun magazines,ÃÂ and to strengthen background checks on all gun sales.The Newtown Bee.For more information visit the team website team26.org, , or Twitter page: facebook.com/sandyhookrideonwashington.@RideOnTeam26
This year's 400-mile trip toÃÂ Washington, DCÃÂ began with a ceremony and launch rally on the steps of Edmond Town Hall, the morning ofÃÂ May 5. This is the sixth time Team 26 has made the journey in honor of the 20 first graders and six educators killed on 12/14.
Team 26 is also referred to as "America's Bike Messengers." Team leader and Sandy Hook resident Monte Frank made the message clear at the launch rally: It is time for Congress to act and vote. Between the launch rally and the time Team 26 arrives in Washington, DC, Mr Frank said roughly 360 people will have died from gun violence.
Others also spoke at the rally, including Newtown First Selectman Dan Rosenthal, St Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church's Monsignor Robert Weiss, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, Team 26 member Wyatt Cote, Junior Newtown Action Alliance (Jr NAA) members, Moms Demand Action volunteer Laura Feinstein, Jeremy Stein of Connecticut Against Gun Violence, gun violence survivor Carolyn Tuft of Utah, Pastor of the Gardener Memorial AME Zion Church of Springfield, Mass., Sam Saylor, and March for Our Lives organizer Tyler Suarez, who is also a nephew of Dawn Hochsprung, the late principal of Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Along the way, Team 26 willÃÂ attend other events,including a scheduled rally at the University of Delaware on May 7.
"Let's ride on," Mr Frank said, bolstering his fellow bike messengers.
Additional information aboutÃÂ the May 5 launch rally will run in the May 11 print edition of