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 Corporate
communications major Brian O'Shea, a member of the Pi Kappa Phi
fraternity at Elon, is spending his summer cycling 3,900 miles across
the United States in support of people with disabilities.
Brian is among
70 Pi Kappa Phi members from universities across traveling on the
64-day "Journey of Hope." In taking on this journey, these
bicycling ambassadors/fundraisers hope to pave the road for a better
understanding of people with disabilities.
They began
their journey in San Francisco in mid-June, and will complete their
route Aug. 16 in Washington, D.C. They are cycling from city to
city to spread their message in an inspiring way.
The Journey
of Hope is a project of Push America, which was founded by Pi Kappa
Phi Fraternity in 1977 with the mission to build leaders of tomorrow
by serving people with disabilities today. Its members have raised
more than $7 million for Push America since its establishment.
Brian and the
rest of the Journey of Hope 2003 team are making dozens of presentations
in communities across the nation, helping others to understand the
issues facing those with disabilities. After cycling and average
of 75 miles each day, team members take part in many special events,
often meeting with those for whom they're riding. In addition to
raising awareness, the Journey of Hope expects to raise more than
$400,000 for future projects and programs of Push America, all of
this being raised by the cycling team members and their support
crews.
Brian and his
team members committed to raising a minimum of $5,000. The route
has taken him through grueling summer heat, and many days of riding
in temperatures of more than 100 degrees.
 Cities
large and small are on the route; it will take the riders 11 days
to cross Texas. Cities along the way include Las Vegas, Phoenix,
Albuquerque, Dallas, Birmingham, Greenville, Atlanta, Charlotte,
Greensboro and Manassas.
On one e-mail
dispatch from the tour, Brian wrote, "We have all gotten used
to the heat ... My bike is holding up well; I had seven flat tires
in the last two days; the roads in New Mexico aren't the greatest
for bike tires. We are having a great time, the friendship visits
(with the disabled) are incredible, and I am learning much about
disabilities."
Push America
provides a daily diary from the tour, complete with many photographs.
See it at:
http://www.pushamerica.org/ce_schedule.asp?ride_code=joh2003&route_code=south
Anyone interested
in "Going the Extra Mile" by making a tax-deductible donation
to Push America on behalf of Brian O'Shea should contact him at
boshea@elon.edu.
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