Bicycling Across America to Honor Fallen Officers | Video

Jennifer Joas | 7/20/2012

It has been just over a year since Bismarck Police Sergeant Steven Kenner died in the line of duty. On Friday, a man was in Bismarck during his bike ride across America for families like the Kenners. He is hoping to raise awareness for an organization that helps with the grieving process.

Jim Caverly got on his bike in late May in Oregon. Since then, he`s made it 1,700 miles to North Dakota to raise awareness for a non-profit organization called C.O.P.S.

"It has been a really great stop for us and we are just meeting so many nice people. We have had a lot of support and a lot of interest in the concerns of police survivors program," he said.

Concerns of Police Survivors started back in 1984 with 110 members. Today, the organization has grown to serve 35,000 people nationwide.

"The program kind of provides a general pathway through this horrible journey called grief, which is kind of a pretty important thing to have. It is a very complicated grief because of the circumstance. It is always traumatic, it is always sudden," Caverly said.

Just as Caverly`s journey takes time, so does the grieving process.

"It takes time, but this is a long journey. They always after attending a retreat know now that they have people they can call, anytime of the day or night, who will understand what they are going through because they have been there. And that truly is the magic of the program," said C.O.P.S. Grief Counselor Jeanne Caverly.

Caverly pedals about 50 miles a day with his wife close behind, pulling their camper for a place to sleep at night. He hopes to raise awareness for the organization by speaking with police departments along the way.

"It has been a good ride. The magic has been the people we have met all along the way," he said.

He has another 2,500 miles to go before he finishes his trip in Maine. Jim plans to leave Bismarck Saturday morning and head to South Dakota, then Minnesota.

To learn more about the program log onto nationalcops.org.

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