"We had 50 to 75 additional cyclists who came with us to Ridgefield," said Frank, who has been with Cohen and Wolfe since 1993 and practices in both the Danbury and Bridgeport offices. "We had that throughout the trip, people joining us."
The riders stopped several times along the way, in various cities and towns, for rallies and meetings with town and city officials. "It was awesome. It was really great," Frank said. "Essentially, it was a 400-mile rolling rally."
All the official riders wore jackets in Sandy Hook Elementary's school colors of green and white. "That made us identifiable," Frank said. "People would honk their horns and give us a thumbs up."
The riders arrived in Washington on Tuesday, March 13, accompanied by police cruisers from D.C. and Newtown. At a news conference at the U.S. Capitol, they were greeted by the Connecticut congressional delegation. They also met with other members of Congress, including the chair of a House panel on gun violence.
Frank said he delivered two letters to Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal. One was from Chris McDonnell and his wife, Lynn. Another was signed by 32 family members of those killed in Sandy Hook. "The letters were calling to reduce gun violence," Frank said. "Blumenthal went to the Senate floor and read the letters into the record."
'Ride For Hope'
A Facebook page was set up so participants and their families could post both photos and emotional messages. In one post, honorary cyclist Chris McDonnell wrote that he was riding to honor his daughter.
"On December 14th, we lost the love and light of our family, our daughter Grace. Since that day I have made a promise that her life would forever be celebrated, her vision of the world as a beautiful and peaceful place forever honored, and her voice forever heard.
"I ride for HOPE that the moral conscience of our elected representatives has been awaken and will choose action over inaction when it comes to protecting the most vulnerable among us, our children.
I ride for PEACE and a society that holds itself morally responsible to leave the world a better place where gun violence is not so pervasive."
