21st annual Cycle Across Illinois kicking off in Champaign

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Approximately 100 bicyclists will take a 300-mile trip for this year’s Cycle Across Illinois event to honor officers killed in the line of duty, and it all starts here in Champaign.

The 21st annual Cycle Across Illinois will take place from July 10-13, spanning from Champaign to Chicago with a number of stops in between to honor law enforcement officers lost this past year. There will be a mandatory meeting on July 9, and the event will kick off the following day at the Holiday Inn at Neil and Kirby in Champaign at 6:30 a.m.

The first day of the event will include a stop at the Illinois State Police Troop 7 headquarters in Pesotum to honor the late Trooper Corey Thompsen. Day two will start in Springfield and end in Normal.

Day three includes a stop at the Ottawa Police Department to honor fallen Sergeant Andrew Faught. The fourth and final day will kick off in Dekalb and finish in Chicago and will honor the following duty members at these locations:

• Deputy Christina Musil
  • Dekalb Memorial Wall, Sycamore
• Trooper Clay Carns
  • Illinois Tollway Authority, Downers Grove
• Deputy Rafael Wordlaw
  • Cook County Maybrook, Maybrook
• Detective Allan Reddins
  • Oak Park Police Station, Oak Park
• Police Officers James Crowley, Luis Huesca and Enrique Martinez
  • Chicago Police Headquarters, Chicago

According to Lt. Katherine Thompson with the Champaign Police Department, the ride is raising funds for survivors that knew these victims for resources such as trauma retreats, trauma informed classes and camps for children feeling the impacts of these deaths. These survivors include children, spouses, coworkers, family and friends affected by the loss of these duty members.

One of the specific trips these funds provide full coverage for is to the Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington D.C. This money raised specifically goes to Benefitting the Illinois Concerns of Police Survivors, which aims to provide emotional, financial and legal support for these survivors.

Thompson, who is an Advanced Team Leader for this year’s event, also said the majority of the cyclists and volunteers involved either know the victims of these tragedies or are people who have been inspired by their stories.

Cycle Across Illinois started in 2005 and has been an annual event honoring fallen law enforcement officers across the state ever since. For more information on Cycle Across Illinois, visit their website or check out their Facebook page.