Hastings-on-Hudson Resident to Bike 300+ Miles for Fundraiser
The bike ride, from NYC to Washington, D.C., will raise funds in honor of police officers who died in the line of duty and will support their survivors.
by Janine Annett
Hastings-on-Hudson — Robert Simmonds has deep roots in Hastings. Not only is he a lifelong resident of the village, his parents and grandparents also grew up here. Simmonds has been a patrol officer with the Hastings Police Department for nearly six years; before joining the force, he worked for the Hastings DPW.
Next month, Simmonds plans to take on a new challenge: riding his bicycle more than 300 miles to help raise funds for Law Enforcement United, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with the mission of honoring law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty and supporting the survivors they left behind.
Starting May 9th, over the course of four days Simmonds will ride his bicycle from the World Trade Center in New York City to the Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, D.C. His colleague Detective Justin Bottiglieri will be part of the motorcycle escort accompanying the 500+ bike riders on the trip. Bottiglieri also made the ride on his motorcycle during last year’s Law Enforcement United event. Simmonds, who has been training for the event, recently cycled 100 miles in one day to ensure he feels prepared for what’s ahead.
Simmonds is looking forward to the camaraderie he expects to experience during the trip and is also excited to see, for the first time, the Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington. The Law Enforcement United bike ride is happening close to the start of Police Week, which begins May 12th.
As for what motivated him to participate in the ride, Simmonds said he feels it’s important to support the surviving family members of law enforcement officials who lost their lives on the job. He’s also riding in memory of the Hastings police officers who perished while serving their community — Sgt. Alexander Polowishz (who passed away in 1954) and Patrolman Anthony Taddeo, Jr. (who passed away in 1979).
“I’m a very goal-driven person,” said Simmonds, who has already raised more than $2,500 for the ride. Together, he and Bottiglieri hope to raise at least $4,000 to support this cause.
For more information on sponsoring Officer Simmonds’ bike ride, visit www.tinyurl.com/ridewithrob.
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