Elon students Josh Donde and Kevin Rate participated this summer in a bike trip across the country called “Journey for Hope.” The bicycle program is a national annual event of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity sponsored by Pi Kappa Phi’s national philanthropy, Push America.
The cyclists, all members of the fraternity, began their journey in early June and ended the ride August 12 in Washington D.C. Many members of Elon’s Pi Kappa Phi chapter were at the capital to greet Donde and Rate as they finished.
“Journey of Hope” has three routes from which riders can choose. Riders start in San Francisco, Calif. or Seattle, Wash. and everyone finishes in Washington, D.C. Donde rode the Trans-America route and Rate biked the Southern route.
All riders were required to raise at least $5,000 for Push America to participate in “Journey for Hope.” Along the way, cyclists participated in activities to raise awareness of people with disabilities. Rate played in a wheelchair basketball game against two of the Olympic Wheelchair Basketball team members. He described the experience as “eye-opening.”
Since 1988, Pi Kappa Phi students and alumni have been cycling across the country to benefit people with disabilities, spreading a message of acceptance and understanding for people with disabilities. The cycling events of Push America raise over $500,000 every summer to give hope for the future of people with disabilities.
Donde is a rising senior and Rate is a rising junior at Elon.