Cyclists to Stop in Union During Journey of Hope

A team of cyclists participating in the 25th Journey of Hope will arrive in Union Saturday, July 14, as part of a nine-week, 4,000-mile cycling event across the country to raise funds and awareness for people with disabilities.

 The team will arrive at approximately 1:30 p.m. at Union High School where they will be lodging as well. That evening, they will have dinner with the Union Rotary Club at 5:30 p.m.  

The Journey of Hope is a program of Push America, the national philanthropy of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, which raises funds and awareness for people with disabilities. The Journey of Hope team consists of men from Pi Kappa Phi chapters across the country. The team will cycle an average of 75 miles per day, beginning in Seattle and ending in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 5.

 For the team, the real journey will not be on a bike, but spending time with the people for whom they are riding. The Journey of Hope team members will spend every afternoon with people with disabilities in many different community events and activities called friendship visits. 

These men are striving for community inclusion of people with disabilities and are helping to break the barriers of society that keep people of all abilities from living life to the fullest.

 This year marks Push America’s 35th anniversary and Journey of Hope’s 25th. The organization was founded in 1977 with the hope of committing its members to enhance the lives of people with disabilities.

With the combined efforts of sponsors and individual team members, this year’s Journey of Hope will raise more than $500,000 on behalf of people with disabilities. Push America and Pi Kappa Phi have raised over $15 million to date and continue to be on the cutting edge of the disability movement.

 For more information about this event or more on Push America’s summer programs, please contact Paul Willar at (704) 504-2400, extension 234, or log on to www.pushamerica.org.