“You bike 80 bike eighty miles a day. You’re just tired. And you get there and you see these kids’ faces, so happy to see you,” Rodriguez says. Rodriguez is one of several fraternity members involved in what’s called the Ability Experience, a philanthropic arm of Pi Kappa Phi.
Each bicyclist raised $5,500 to take part in this journey across the country from Southern California to Washington, D.C., and along the way raise awareness for people with disabilities. The bicyclists also had an opportunity to move to another set of wheels. They played some basketball with a very talented team using wheelchairs.
“We love it so. The message is perfect for the city of Las Vegas,” said basketball coach Nick Hess. Kids at summer camp thought the game was exciting. Madison DeRolf says the men in the journey of hope inspire her. “That they are raising awareness for something that a lot of people don’t know about. Like they think they do, but they just don’t know all of the details,” DeRolf says.