Team 26 left on its 400 mile, four day bike ride to Washington, D.C. Saturday morning amid cheers of support and applause.
The Second Annual Sandy Hook ride kicked off with U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty — D-5th District, and State Rep. Jim Himes, D-4th District present among the speakers at Edmonds Town Hall in Newtown.
“Congress will be judged as aiders and abedders in the deaths unless it acts soon,” Blumenthal said, referring to the 26 children and educators murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Dec. 14, 2012 and the 3,000 Americans who have died from gun violence since.
Sandy Hook father Mark Barden spoke of his son, Daniel, who “was murdered in his first-grade classroom” at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
“Daniel was a constant light of energy and love,” Barden said. “Encouragingly there is a growing number of people who no longer accept these deaths. They realize that patriots way is to protect neighborhood communities and children from gun violence.”
Team 26 rides to bring the message to Congress that Sandy Hook will not be forgotten and to support universal background checks for fire arms purchased.