Soldiers Race Team

SRT will be giving Matt his Ironman In Lake Placid on July 24th 2011. Matt was lost before he got to fullfill his dream of completing the Lake Placed 140.6 mile triathlon.
Matt, much like Soldiers Race Team founder James Armstrong had no direct connection to the military, yet gave a large part of his life to supporting our injured troops through being race director for the “Tri for Our Veterans” triathlon which raises money for the The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund.
For Matt, serving our troops was a way of life. Please take a moment to read about Matt, leave comments on this page in honor of Matt and his family.
Matt July 24th 2011 is your day.

By Rob Parent, Of the Times Staff

Matt McCulley always loved spending time down Sea Isle City. But a couple of summers ago he came up with an idea of how to spend some real quality time there…

Swim in the ocean, bike in the streets and run on the beach.

Seemingly nothing new there, except that when McCulley does his exercising next week, he’ll be joined on sea, land and beach by about 519 friends, with another 2,500 or so watching from the streets, sidewalks and boardwalk.

McCulley, 35, a native of Ridley, is overseeing the second annual “Tri for Our Veterans” event, which benefits The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund.

In either a triathlon (400-meter swim, 12.3-mile bike ride through the streets and 5K run along the sandy shores) or a duathlon (same as above except that a two-mile run that replaces the ocean swim), 520 athletes will converge on Sea Isle City the morning of May 23, and all for a good cause.

McCulley, who spent many summers at Sea Isle City as a youth, came up with the idea after reading a New York Times article on the horrific injuries suffered by service people returning from Iraq.

He said he wanted to do something about that, and that he always thought Sea Isle City would be a great place for such a race.

“It’s going well. We’re sold out (for competitors),” McCulley said Friday. “Now we’re just praying for good weather, even though it’s a rain or shine event.”

In addition to the 520 registered competitors, McCulley has lined up about 120 volunteers to help with traffic during the cycling portion of the races. They’ll be joined by what’s expected to be at least a couple of thousand spectators … who probably think languishing in the sun is a better way to spend a Sea Isle day.

Not so, says McCulley.

Last year’s inaugural event raised $30,000 for the Semper Fi fund.

“I never served my country,” said McCulley, a 1992 St. James graduate who has competed in triathlons for some time, “but my father and grandfather did. My grandfather was at the Battle of the Bulge. I just thought this would be a great way to give back, since I never served.”

Sadly Matt was lost on January 12th 2010

Matt McCulley was a 35 year old husband and father of 3 beautiful girls. He was a special and unique son, brother, and friend to many.

As an avid triathlete, runner and coach, Matt had a vision to develop a triathlon in his favorite vacation town, which would benefit two very special organizations: The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund and Sea Isle City’s VFW Post 1963.

When asked why he wanted to donate his time, energy and support, he simply responded, “I have only one goal: to give something back to the veterans who have fought in our previous battles and those who fight in today’s wars.”

Matt created TRI for Our Veterans to show his appreciation for all of those who have, and continue, to serve our country each day.

On January 12, 2010, Matt suddenly passed away. He touched so many lives, in such a short time, and it is his family’s wish to keep his legacy alive. Matt will be greatly missed, but his spirit will live on.

Please pass this along to everyone you know.

Jack and Michelle Cyphers are the proud parents of Private 1st Class Kyle Cyphers.  Kyle is a New Jersey native and a military police officer serving in the U.S. Army.  He is currently stationed in Hawaii and is awaiting deployment to Afghanistan.

Kyle will be coming home, to Lebanon, New Jersey on May 24th, 2011.  He is using his brief time at home to organize a fundraiser which benefits three units of U.S. troops deployed in Afghanistan, all of whom have been hit hard by and/or injured in the Afghanistan War.  This is Kyle’s way of giving back to his community, his way of expressing appreciation for all of the care packages he received while deployed in South Korea for the past year, and his way of honoring all the men and women who serve this wonderful country.

On Tuesday, May 24th, 2011, Kyle will be doing a 25-mile “Ruck Walk”- a road walk in full uniform and gear.  Kyle has teamed up with Pro-Activity Physical Therapy and Soldiers Race Team to make this event happen.  He has arranged for several “drop-off points” along his route at which needed items may be donated.  A list of items that are needed for the 3 units of soldiers that he is raising funds for may be found below.  Any and all items on that list may be left at Kyle’s following drop-off points:

DROP-OFF POINT 1: Pro-Activity Physical Therapy, 56 Payne Road, Lebanon, NJ 08833

DROP-OFF POINT 2: Ethel Hoppock Middle School. 280 Asbury-West Portal Road, Asbury, NJ 08802-1129

DROP-OFF POINT 3: North Hunterdon High School, 1445 Route 31, Annandale NJ  08801

North Hunterdon High School (Drop-off Point 3) will be one of Kyle’s “rest-points” along the way.  While “resting” there, Kyle will walk 5 miles on the track surrounding the high school’s athletic field.  His hope is to attract students and local residents to participate in the track walk with him, as well as to donate needed items.  Again, the list of needed items may be found at the bottom of this page.

Kyle needs support on his 25 mile journey.  Anyone who can come out to cheer him on, to walk with him, bike with him, and, especially, to donate the needed items would greatly enthuse and encourage him.  This was all Kyle’s idea- he loves his community and wants to give back.  This is a wonderfully honorable act- let’s all come out and show him how much we appreciate what he’s doing.

KYLE CYPHERS’ ROUTE- May 24, 2011 “Ruck Walk”
111 Orchard Lane, Lebanon, NJ, to Charlestown Rd.
-W Grand St.
-Main Street
-Route 31
-Van Syckles Rd. (Rest Point At Spruce Run State Park)
-Charlestown Rd.
-Van Syckles Rd.
-Route 173
-Rupelles Rd. (Rest Point At Clinton Station Diner)
-Union Rd.
-W Main St.
-Route 173
-Leigh St.
-Regional Rd.
-North Hunterdon High School (Rest Point /5-mile track walk at NHHS)
-Route 31
-Payne Rd (U-turn)
-End At Base Camp, “Pro-Activity Physical Therapy”Pro-Activity Physical Therapy, 56 Payne Road, Lebanon, NJ 08833

!!TAILGATE PARTY TO END THE DAY!!

Thank you so much,
Jack & Michelle Cyphers, father & mother of PFC Kyle Cyphers, U.S. Army

CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF ITEMS MAY BE DONATED AT ANY OF KYLE’S DROP-OFF POINTS

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT

Soldiers Race Team has adopted 3 clinics in Afghanistan. These clinics will be supporting solders who have suffered concussion injuries and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI). We will need your help! Please look at the list of items we need. Do to the specialized nature of these soldiers mission they have reached out for specific times. Contact James or Donna to help. We begin collection of item 03-17-2011 until December 2011.

Unit 3: Requests

(This is a bigger unit-outpatient combat stress clinic) staff of two female and four male Soldiers. We see approximately 200 Soldiers (patients) a month; ratio of male to female is approx. 15:1. Here is her first request, with quantities.

Insect repellent wipes [50]
After-sun lotion [50]
Lotion [20]
Chap-stick [50]
Body /baby powder) [20]
Bar Soap [20]
Hand-sanitizer (small bottles) [50]
Wipes – travel sized packs [50]
Sun screen [50]
Tissue/Kleenex travel packs [100]
Magazines [50]
Healthy Snacks (nuts, raisins, dried fruit, trail mix) [100 packs]
Suckers [100]
Freeze-pops (case Girl Scout cookies (24 boxes)

Unit 2: Requests

Sun-screen
Chap-stick
Lotion
Body wash
Mouthwash
Hand sanitizer
Baby wipes
Cough drops
Seat belt cutters (10-20?)
GIRL SCOUT COOKIES!

Unit 1: Requests
Small, medium and Lg (boxer shorts)
Medium and large Athletic shorts
Feminine hygiene supplies (10) –
Shaving cream,
Razors,
Body wash,
Lotion,
Chap-stick,
Shampoo,
Conditioner,
Mouthwash,
Soap, hand-sanitizer
Cookies (Girl Scout cookies are fine)
Snacks,
(Healthy and junk-food – Peanut butter, jelly, honey Crackers, etc. Candy –
Hard candy,
Suckers,
Hot Tea Hot cocoa
Microwave popcorn
Instant Oatmeal
Freeze-pops
Drink mixes

The mission of The Soldiers Race Team is to involve our communities in the support of our troops. We send care packages to soldiers deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

We are people who try to live a healthy lifestyle and we participate in group events from local 5k runs to Ironman events and everything in between.  We are open to anyone interested in helping, you do not need to race to join our team. Our purpose together is to help support the soldiers who do so much for us.

Care packages don’t have to be complicated.  All we try to do is send a little bit of home.  Something to eat, something to read, some toiletries.  When you go food shopping every week, just pick up a couple extra items. A package of baby wipes, some cookies, some old magazines.

The hand on donation of adopting a soldier is a fulfilling effort that enriches our lives, our communities, and most importantly our soldiers’ lives. We will enter events to directly raise funds for trusted groups like Fisher House but will not handle money ourselves. Donations can be made to the group we support in care of Soldiers Race Team.  If you or someone you know would like to make a donation of money we will be more than happy to show you how to donate directly to one of the great organizations we support.