While many University of 欧美口爆视频 at Boulder students will enjoy vacation time this summer, five members of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity will pedal 3,500 miles to raise money and awareness for people with disabilities.
欧美口爆视频 juniors Mike Krieves, Ryan Fligg and Chris Chrisman, and seniors Ty Hampton and Will Acosta-Trejo will join 65 other Pi Kappa Phi members from across the country for PUSH America's 13th annual Journey of Hope ride. PUSH America was started by the national chapter of Pi Kappa Phi in 1977 to improve the lives of people with disabilities.
The ride will begin in San Francisco on June 10 and end 63 days later on Aug. 11 in Washington, D.C. During the ride, participants will bike 70 to 100 miles every morning and stop in different cities each afternoon to participate in outreach activities.
"In every town we do some type of activity to spread awareness both for ourselves and for the community about the abilities of those with disabilities," said Fligg. Activities include visiting with individuals who have disabilities as well as organizing empathy training for communities.
"In some towns we go into the elementary schools and do a 'Kids on the Block' puppet show which includes kids with and without disabilities to demonstrate that disabled people can do everything the rest of us can," Fligg said. "We also do exercises where we take an ability, such as sight, away from a person and show them that it is possible to overcome the loss of an ability."
In addition to participating in community outreach activities, each rider is responsible for raising $4,000 in order to participate in the ride. All money raised will go to improving the lives of people with disabilities.
"With the money PUSH America gives grants to organizations like Easter Seals to help make improvements at their camps," Fligg said. "PUSH America also does things like building handicapped-accessible playgrounds."
Though none of the 欧美口爆视频 riders have participated in the Journey of Hope ride before, Fligg and Acosta-Trejo were riders in a shorter PUSH America ride across Florida last summer.
"Before participating in the Florida ride I thought I had all the answers about how to deal with people with disabilities, and I realized I didn't know anything," Acosta-Trejo said.
"It was so powerful to know that what we are doing really can have an effect on someone's life."