PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 1, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On July 29th, Nicholas Basalyga, co-founder of the non-profit In The Saddle, got on his bike in San Francisco, CA. Two months later, he will arrive in Philadelphia. He is biking across the country to generate support for In The Saddle and raise awareness about the epidemic of addiction that America is currently facing.
TOUR DETAILS
Basalyga, 28, has been sober himself since May 10th, 2010. To raise awareness about addiction, and to generate support for his newly founded non-profit In The Saddle, Basalyga will be biking across the country on the Ride Into Recovery Tour. Starting out in San Francisco, CA and ending in Philadelphia, PA, Basalyga will cover over 3,407 miles and pass through 51 different cities between July 29th and October 1st.
"Early recovery is an extremely complicated time for someone," says Basalyga. "For me, I had to change everything - people, places, and things. In addition to the subtractions (alcohol), I also had to make positive changes/additions. It was about reinventing my identity and what I thought about myself through positive actions and healthy commitments. In the beginning, I often told myself 'You'll be what you do'."
ABOUT IN THE SADDLE
125 Americans die each day from overdoses1. On average, at any given time there are 51,302 individuals in substance abuse treatment in the state of Pennsylvania2. In 2014, there were 1,080 deaths by overdose in Philadelphia alone.
The mission of In The Saddle, which is based in Philadelphia, PA, is to build a fellowship of individuals who are in recovery from addiction through cycling, community service and group support. Its services are meant to compliment traditional recovery efforts, such as those that include spiritually twelve steps fellowship, out-patient treatment and individual therapeutic support.
The idea behind the non-profit, says Basalyga, is to "establish and grow a fellowship of recovering individuals who support and celebrate one another during the transition from early recovery into long term recovery. To do this, our members will participate in weekly group bicycle rides, bicycle education and community service work, and group therapy. Our services are designed to help improve and strengthen our members' sense of identity, purpose, and belonging."
With an array of recovery-based services, In The Saddle's ultimate goal is to reduce the number of relapses, while increasing the number of those in long term recovery. "Our approach is simple - create opportunities for individuals in recovery to connect through activities designed to improve one's sense of identity, purpose, and belonging. The disease of addiction, or disorder of chemical dependency, is complicated. And, recovery is just as complicated, if not more. In The Saddle is here to help those navigating that difficult, and often lonely, process - one mile at a time."
To follow along with the Ride Into Recovery Tour, you can visit In The Saddle's website at www.inthesaddlephilly.org/events. To get involved, you can sponsor miles in the tour, sponsor a stage of the tour, or join the tour at any point to bike alongside the co-founder.