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The Rizzos joined the UCP family three years ago when their daughter, Julia, began receiving therapy services. John and Heather Rizzo (Julia’s dad and mom) have always been outdoorsy people – loving to go for long walks and bike rides in national parks. As a family, they have embarked on vacations to Yellowstone and the Finger Lakes in New York. Their love of outdoor recreation translated into their avid participation in many triathlons and races. The Rizzo family has done triathlons to benefit many great causes ever since Julia was born; so it was no surprise that they started “Team Rizzo” and began racing as part of Team UCP at the Cleveland Triathlon after Julia began receiving therapy services at UCP of Greater Cleveland’s. Julia is pulled by her dad during the biking leg and pushed by her mom during the running leg. Preparing for the triathlon has become a favorite form of family fun – Julia loves to go on bike rides and hikes with her family to train for the race. Heather also trains on her own time by running at the gym where she works. All of this training pays off as Team Rizzo always finishes the race with a smile! The best finish for the Rizzo family was the year when the whole family joined in at the end of the race and they all crossed the finish line together. The family feels like that moment really symbolized the closeness and support between them all.
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