On Saturday, November 7, 15 cyclists will participate in the inaugural “Oil to Iron” challenge. This event is a 100-mile ride from Oil City to Pittsburgh, PA.

Oil to Iron is hosted by Team Foster, a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit that raises money to provide service dogs to partner with veterans suffering from disabilities such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury. Partnering with Team Foster is the Three Rivers Battalion, the Pittsburgh-based Army ROTC program.

“Service dogs are proven successes in rehab and recovery, yet no agency provides funding or support for service dogs for Veterans suffering from PTSD—not the military, the government, or the VA,” according to Nick Liermann, Team Foster founder. One service dog takes to two years and more than $25,000 to properly train and accredit. Team Foster ensure Veterans receive these service dogs at no cost.

Team Foster is founded in memory of Oil City native, Captain Erick Foster. The ride starts in Oil City, where Captain Foster was born and finishes at Soldiers and Sailors Museum in Pittsburgh, PA where Captain Foster swore his oath to join the Army.

At the finish point, the Three Rivers Battalion is hosting a “bicycle crunch challenge” in solidarity with the riders. For $5 raised, the cadets will do 5 (2-count) bicycle crunches. At 5pm on Saturday, November 7, the cyclists and the cadets will finish at the same time.

Team Foster is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit dedicated to ensuring there is “No Hero Left Behind. Team Foster honors the spirit and sacrifice of Captain Erick Foster who was killed while engaging enemy forces in 2007 in Iraq.

Supporters can learn more and donate at https://www.pledgereg.com/foster-100-oil-to-iron.

For more information, contact Team Foster at [email protected].

Team Foster is a 501(c)(3) charity organization founded to honor Captain Erick Foster though its mission: No Hero Left Behind.  Team Foster fights for the unmet needs of injured and disabled Veterans by bringing together civilians, Veterans and highly trained service dogs.

We do this by:

• Helping Veterans obtain highly-trained service dogs they need at no cost,
• Providing grants for the unmet needs of Veterans and their service dog,
• Ensuring Veteran service dogs receive the highest quality training,
• Promote Awareness of Service-Related PTSD and TBI, and advocate for the long-term needs of our Veterans.

If your company or organization is interested in sponsoring Team Foster, please email us at [email protected] for opportunities.

Team Foster was founded in honor of Captain Erick Foster.  A natural leader and a warrior, Erick pushed those around them to do more and to take care of their teammates.

Team Foster seeks to honor Erick's legacy by pushing ourselves and taking care of our teammates - the Veterans who have sacrificed so much on our behalf. Post-traumatic stress (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) are the signature wounds of post-9/11 warfare. Hundreds of thousand of Veterans have returned home afflicted with these invisible wounds. As a result, 20+ Veterans and military members lose their lives to suicide every day.

But there's hope: Service Dogs Save Lives.

Service dogs are an elegant solution to the complex symptoms of PTSD and TBI. An alternative to medications, these dogs have been proven over and over again to save the lives of our heroes. However, a properly trained and accredited service dog takes 2 years and costs over $25,000 to train. Team Foster fills this need and ensures that our Veterans receive the service dogs they need at no cost. We then partner with the Veteran to "watch their six" going forward by providing grants and additional support as needed.

Learn more about Team Foster at www.TeamFoster.org. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using the handle: @weareteamfoster.

Checks or matching donations may be sent to:

Team Foster, PO Box 2145, Philadelphia, PA, 19103