Kathleen Peddigree grew up as a military brat. Her sister is a member of the Navy band. And Kathleen has been a military wife for most of her adult life. She is comfortable around soldiers. She understands them. Because of this she is a perfect Soldier's Angel.

The Soldier’s Angels is an organization of volunteers who support our soldiers. They organize care packages and letters, they arrange flights for families who need to get to their wounded soldiers, they make sure the soldiers have the Kevlar they need to stay safe in the field and they sit by wounded soldiers’ beds while they wait for their families to arrive.

Kathleen’s history gives her a unique opportunity to bond with the soldiers and their families. She understands what it is like to have a husband deployed for months at a time. She knows in the same situation she would want someone to be by his side.

And as a mom, she has the extra compassion that moms bring to any situation. But June Cleaver, Kathleen is not. Unless, June Cleaver has ever been seen cycling from Washington, D.C., to Gettysburg, PA, with wounded soldiers and their families.

This April 15 Kathleen will be cycling from Washington to Gettysburg in the Face of America Ride. As a member of the Strength and Honor Cycling Team and a first aid volunteer, she will cover the 110 miles with the aim of making sure everybody arrives on the other side safely.

But as with most of the volunteers I have come across, Kathleen admits that she takes more away from the experience than she gives.

“I watch these soldiers, both men and women, one with no hands, some with missing legs or arms, and I am so inspired,” Kathleen said.

The Face of America Ride brings together civilians and both wounded and non-wounded military personnel in an attempt to not only raise money for wounded soldiers, but to let our soldiers understand how much we appreciate them.

Looking at the pictures and watching the video of the ride it is clear how much everybody pulls together in this ride. Uninjured riders hold on to long poles attached to wounded soldiers’ chairs and help to guide them over the challenging course. Families come out to cheer. Civilians ride along the course thanking the soldiers and their families for the sacrifices they have made.

All of this is what makes it special for Kathleen. The ride itself can be tough and after spending some time in the hospital last summer and not training as much as she would have liked, Kathleen said she is concerned about her abilities to ride this year, but she isn’t letting that stop her.

She knows that the positive energy that comes from the group will help to inspire her.

“The name of our team is Strength and Honor because it takes strength to do this and it is truly an honor to be a part of it,” Kathleen said. “With this team, I feel confident I will be able to push through the 110 miles and make it to the end.”

Kathleen is a great example of what we can do when we combine activities that are important to us. By combining her volunteer efforts and her love of fitness, Kathleen has found an event that she looks forward to every spring. By training for and riding in the Face of America Ride, Kathleen brings together fitness and compassion.

Editor's note: Kathleen's last name was correctly updated to Peddigree. Bair is her maiden name.