Blackwell Supports Wounded Warriors --

When you talk to Sagen Blackwell, the first thing you notice is her bubbly personality and her energy. She talks a mile a minute, but not about the latest teen fashions or what’s at the top of the music chart. No. Stop and listen. Sagen talks about life … and living it to the fullest. And she talks about helping the Wounded Warriors who struggle to get back to some normalcy of life after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Story By Gloria Fair Photos by Shayna Blackwell When you talk to Sagen Blackwell, the first thing you notice is her bubbly personality and her energy. She talks a mile a minute, but not about the latest teen fashions or what’s at the top of the music chart. No. Stop and listen. Sagen talks about life … and living it to the fullest. And she talks about helping the Wounded Warriors who struggle to get back to some normalcy of life after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Did I mention she’s only 15? And she’s been waging a fight of her own for these Wounded Warriors for several years now. Sagen was in Washington last week, where she visited with President Bush and the men and women participating in the Soldier Ride White House to Lighthouse Challenge. And not as a bystander. She and her dad, Steve Blackwell of Woodruff, rode all 69 miles. “This is very cool,” she said in a phone interview from the White House while waiting to begin one of the bike rides to Baltimore and then to Annapolis. President Bush thanked us for coming to the White House and for what we are doing. He was wearing a blue suit and an aquamarine tie,” she added, a sign that she pays attention to every detail. “It’s just awesome meeting the soldiers and talking to them. They talk about everything with you. Some of them even show you their wounds. The ride has been a memorable journey getting to know them and their wives and girlfriends.” According to their Web site, Soldier Ride is an official program of the Wounded Warrior Progect and is a rehabilitative sports event for the wounded warriors. But it is much more than that. For many of these combat wounded veterans it is a way to return to an active lifestyle. These cyclists, many who have been severely wounded, want to give back. The Soldier Ride also helps to raise awareness for the Wounded Warrior Project. Even though they have already given so much, they want to give this positive message to the public and pass the message on to the next group of wounded soldiers. Many of these men and women have been physically active throughout their lives and are not going to lose that. They are going to get on the bike and prove to themselves ‘I can still do this.’’ Soldier Ride is not about the politics, it’s not about the war, it’s simply about the soldiers. Most of the soldiers are able to use normal bikes with the help of their regular prosthetics. However, some of the wounded warriors - particularly those with double amputations or an above- the-knee amputation - ride special bikes designed to accommodate their needs. The ride meant different things to each of the riders involved; from simply exercise, to public relations. “I was like, ‘OK, I lost a foot.’ But with the advancements in technology, I knew the Army would give me a new foot. (Heck) they will give me three or four,” Sgt. Patrick King, of Highland Falls, N.Y., said. “Yeah, we might be wounded, but we can still do things.” “It’s a pretty good workout,” said Sgt. Brian Schar, of Sevierville, Tenn. For Brent Hendrix, the ride was the final weekend before he entered a new job – he began work at Capitol Hill on Monday. Sagen had never been much of a bike rider. But that was before she realized last year that bike rides could earn a lot of money for the Wounded Warriors. And after she saw that men and women who have lost arms and legs could learn to do it, she knew she had to. So she got a bike, learned to ride it, and decided that she could organize a bike ride to help the soldiers. And she did: The Soldier Ride Carolinas Challenge Metric Century Bike Ride and 5 Miles Walk/Ride. What made her ride different was that the public could ride with the 23 soldiers who participated. Participants could bike 23 or 62 miles or walk/run five miles to raise money for the Wounded Warrior project. On her first try, Sagen raised $50,000 in cash and in-kind donations That caught the attention of the national organization, and thus the invitation for her to participate in this year’s national ride. And she’s already planning her charity Soldier Ride this year, which will be the Wounded Warriors Carolinas Challenge on Oct. 25 in Spartanburg. “It’s become a passion with me,” she said. “When you see them, you can’t help but develop a passion for them. Everyone needs to be active in this. Everyone needs to do something to raise money to help these wounded warriors.” During last week’s ride, which began Thursday, Sagen had a chance to talk with two participants from Spartanburg County: Andrew Kinard from Spartanburg and Brent Hendrix from Boiling Springs. “It is so interesting getting to know them and talk to them,” she said. “They, and all the others, are not bitter or angry. They have such good personalities and it’s amazing how many want to be rehabilitated enough to get back to their units. I just find that so amazing. I am so in awe of them.” Kinard said, “It is great to be back at Annapolis and see the cadets I was in school with. When I was here, the current seniors were freshmen and when I was a freshman the seniors were old guys, so I guess that makes me really old.” Once the ride reached Annapolis, the Navy cycling team joined in for the final day of the ride. Sagen also found out that Brent would begin work Monday on Capitol Hill with one of the senators he met while at Walter Reed. “I just think that’s awesome,” she said. All of this amazing enthusiasm for Sagen’s “soldier boys” as she calls them, stemmed from care packages she put together to send to Iraq and Afghanistan. Steve Blackwell, publisher of Hometown News, tells it like this: “One day a lady came into the Woodruff newspaper and wanted to get people to send magazines to her daughter-in-law, who was a field nurse serving in Iraq. Sagen was in the office at the time and heard the conversation. She immediately spoke up. ‘I can do that,’ she said, and started collecting money to put together care packages.” But she didn’t stop there. No, not Sagen. She found out about backpacks that are given to soldiers when they arrive at the Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C. She turned her attention to raising money for the backpacks, which cost $99 to put together. She quickly raised enough money for 40 backpacks. And her efforts earned her an invitation to Walter Reed to see first-hand the rehabilitation of the men and women soldiers. Her dad said the soldiers were happy to see her and just wanted to hug her. “It was awesome to watch,” he said. “These young men and women are of her generation, and she is so eager and determined to spread the word about their sacrifice and what all of us can do to help.” After the visit to Walter Reed, there was no stopping her. She started speaking frequently to churches and organizations. She would go wherever she thought she could raise money. She even chatted up Gov. Mark Sanford while attending a dinner at the Governor’s Mansion. He was unable to attend her charity ride in Spartanburg last year because of a previous commitment, but did send a proclamation. He even called her on her cell phone to talk about her work. Yes, the 15-year-old is chatting with the governor and the president. “She’s determined and isn’t intimidated by anyone,” Blackwell said. “If she thinks she can raise money, she’ll pick up the phone in a heartbeat and make a call.” Now you would think with all the charity work that Sagen does, she would be too busy for much else. Wrong! She’s home-schooled and just completed her freshman year early so she could attend the event in Washington. She dances at Converse Pre-College about 25 hours a week and teaches dance to young children. She also takes piano and voice lessons. But we’re not through yet. She’s also the past state president of Children of the American Revolution and is currently the Southeastern vice president of the organization, which means this year in that role she will be traveling to cities in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Alabama. She was active in the C.A.R. before she was even born. Her father and her mother, Shayna, along with her grandparents Don and Joyce Wilder, thought it would be a good idea to start looking up ancestors while Shayna was pregnant so the child would know all about her family history. And after Sagen was born, her parents took her on trips to national parks where her ancestors had fought in the American Revolution. “It was also teaching her history,” Blackwell said. Sagen found it interesting enough that she became active in the C.A.R. and just started through the ranks until she’s where she is today. “I’m just so proud of her,” Blackwell said. “We’ve been blessed. The Lord sure gave us a good one.” I don’t think you would find a single Wounded Warrior who would disagree.