Domestic violence is a cause that is dear to D.C. area horseman Mr. Morris, the founder and former President of the Rough Riders and East Coast Rough Riders horse clubs located in Prince George's County, Maryland. Also known as the “Metropolitan Cowboy”, Morris is riding 1,641 miles on horseback from Portland, Maine to Jacksonville, Florida for the "Saddle Up 4 Good" Horse Ride, to help raise $50,000 for Doorways for Women and Families, a shelter that aids victims of domestic violence and their families located in Northern Virginia.Mr. Morris says, "My mother had to change her identity and move in order to escape the abuse. No woman is immune to the risk of being abused, and no one should have to endure it. We must raise awareness of one of the greatest stains on our society."
Ray Charles Lockamy, also a D.C. area horseman who is completing the trail ride with Morris, are determined to complete the ride in order to put a stop to domestic violence.
"Every nine seconds in the United States, a woman is beaten; yet there are only 1,500 shelters for battered women," says Linda Dunphy, Executive Director of Doorways for Women and Families.
Supporters can keep track of the riders' location using GPS technology, contact them via e-mail, or make a donation to the cause via http://www.saddleupforgood.com/. A $1 donation will provide membership to the cause, and keep the horses fed during the journey. (Be sure to read their blog, which has well wishes from people they met along their journey!)
In addition to supporting domestic violence, the horse ride will also benefit the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo Scholarship Fund, which supports causes pertaining to youth outreach and prison reform.
To learn more about Mr. Morris, visit http://www.dmvcowboy.com.
Source: Press release
