In traveling from California to Washington D.C., many would take a plane, some would opt to drive but in May 2019, 90 men are choosing to cycle the nearly 4,000 miles between these states to advocate for the equality of people with disabilities as part of the Journey of Hope event.
Brandon Dill, a senior computer information systems major and a member of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, will be participating in the Journey of Hope event.
The Journey of Hope is a philanthropic awareness event sponsored by The Ability Experience, “whose goal is to increase awareness, support and make things more accessible to those with disabilities,” Dill said.
The Ability Experience is a national non-profit organization owned by the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity.
Dill said he joined Pi Kappa Phi because of their philanthropy efforts. He said that the fraternity’s emphasis on helping people with disabilities hit close to home and is what encouraged him to join.
“I have a few family members who have been born with disabilities and I could understand sometimes the awareness and the difficulty [of living] in a society that’s accessible for ‘normal people’… So, I think a lot of times people with disabilities are pushed to the outskirts of society,” Dill said.
He also said that his main goals for this project are to promote awareness, educate and provide support for people with disabilities.
Throughout the Journey of Hope ride, Dill and the other volunteers will make stops at camps like the YMCA to sing songs, act in plays and do arts and crafts with disabled campers.
There will be three routes across the United States starting in Seattle, Northern California and Southern California. The men will be cycling for about an average of 4,000 miles over a two month period.
The volunteers will be cycling anywhere from 75 miles to 30 miles in one day depending on the elevation. The traveling may be strenuous but Dill said this journey will show him determination and knowing that he is helping others is what keeps him motivated.
“This selfless attitude that it’s going to help develop in me while graduating and going out into the real world [is what] I’m going to be so appreciative for,” Dill said.
While volunteers cycle across the country, the Journey of Hope is able to gain attention from the public which helps The Ability Experience to raise money, according to Dill. The proceeds raised during these two months are used to make public places more accessible for people with disabilities such as building ramps for a camp.
The Journey of Hope will end in Washington, D.C. in mid-August 2019. Dill said that this event should encourage people to understand that people with disabilities deserve the same liberties as any other citizen.
“Disability doesn’t mean inability and I think a lot of times people tend to think that. I hope [that] people can see this and it be a little more hope for them to be aware,” Dill said.
