Students to cycle across country
Posted on February 14, 2008
Push America is the nationally recognized philanthropy of Pi Kappa Phi social fraternity, and includes an event called Journey of Hope, a 4,000 mile bike ride across the United States from San Francisco to Washington, D.C. to raise money for people with disabilities.
The event started in 1987 when Bruce Roger, a fraternity member, decided to bike across the United States, inspiring others to do the same. Last year’s twentieth anniversary journey included 92 members of Pi Kappa Phi. In order to participate, the men must individually raise $5,000. Last year, the group raised more than $500,000, and to date the organization has raised more than $10 million.
The members cycle approximately 80 miles each day, stopping at local disability organizations along the way. The men, traveling from June 15 to Aug. 17, shower, eat and sleep at YMCAs and high schools along the way.
Sophomores Jason Lewris and Chris Gascoigne decided to participate because they are both mountain bikers. While they had originally intended to bike across Europe this summer, they eagerly signed up for Journey of Hope instead.
“The guy who interviewed us said it completely changed his life to stop and help people with disabilities every day and see people in remote places that were happy even though they were disabled,” Gascoigne said.
Since they decided to participate the boys have been actively fundraising and training. While they are required to earn $5,000 each, they have a goal of meeting $10,000 for the cause.
The bikers give the money to various charities that they meet along the way.
So far 81 students have signed up for this summer’s Journey of Hope event. While Lewris is nervous about not raising the money in time, he is equally excited to embrace the “challenge and spend a large amount of time with people with disabilities.”
Although Gascoigne shares similar anxieties, he is excited to get started.
“It’s about getting the word out there to help the cause,” he said. “The whole experience is bigger than Jason and I, it is taken so seriously because is it not about us biking across the country, it is the cause itself.”
