Two weeks. A fortnight. Most commonly known as the amount of time an employee gives his boss before he quits his job. For me, that’s the amount of time it took for my life to change. Before I get to the ride, though, I need to back up and explain a few things and give my story some context.

Push America is Pi Kappa Phi’s national philanthropy. It was founded in 1977 by Thomas Sayre, a Pi Kapp from the Kappa chapter (over at UNC… I guess some good occasionally comes out of that school!). The original organization was developed to build Play Units for the Severely Handicapped. As the group developed, the name became Push America, and we now volunteer, spread awareness, and raise funds for all people with disabilities. Pi Kappa Phi is proud to still be the only fraternity with its own dedicated non-profit organization.

Push America hosts two different cycling events. The Journey of Hope (JOH) is a cross country bike trip, and Gear Up Florida is a bike trip through Florida. JOH began in 1987, and now is comprised of three different routes- North, South, and Trans- which meet up in Washington D.C. for a large arrival ceremony. In fact, the arrival this year is August 15, just a few days away!

Gear Up Florida (GUF) began in 1997. Every May, cyclists and crew members travel from Miami to Tallahassee along an 800-mile route in 14 days. Both JOH and GUF set up what are called Friendship Visits, which are times when the groups on the trip stop in to different facilities for people with disabilities to learn more about those facilities and to interact with the residents or guests. A typical day during GUF could be a 60-mile ride, an hour to shower and unpack in new accommodations, and then a friendship visit.

A few more quick background details: Everyone who participates in GUF is required to raise money. Cyclists must raise a minimum of $2500, and crew members must raise a minimum of $1000. This year’s GUF team of 24 cyclists and seven crew members raised over $90,000 for people with disabilities! Lastly, crew members are responsible for the safety of the cyclists. They mark turns and set up periodic rest stops for the cyclists.

I have been to many of Push America’s events throughout my time at Duke, and have also served as the Push America chairman on my chapter’s exec board. Participating in a cycling event seemed like a natural next step in my progression. As amazing as the Journey of Hope sounds, I just didn’t think I had 62+ days to give up. I signed up to be a crew member on the 2009 trip in March of 2009, which is sort of late, considering that I had to raise a thousand dollars! Luckily, with the support of friends, family, and my chapter brothers, I was able to reach the thousand dollar mark before the trip began.

I could sit here and give you page after page about how amazing the trip was. I guess that was why I enjoyed being the trip’s Historian. If you want to see the journal of what we did day by day, you can visit our journal here. I have a lot of great stories about our trip, and I’ll use some of them to highlight the points of the trip that meant the most to me.

Brotherhood

Along the way, we met many Pi Kapps, both current college students and alums. We stayed at Florida International University, where our brothers put on an Empathy Dinner in our honor (an empathy dinner is a meal where people are asked to simulate having a disability in order to raise awareness of the difficulties those with the disability face.). We had a barbeque one day with our brothers from the University of Miami. Alums from the University of North Florida, the University of Florida, and other area colleges provided us with meals. One day, while on the road, a car pulled off the road in front of my parked van, where I had set up a crew stop. The man excitedly got out and told us he was a Pi Kapp who worked in a local building, and said that if any of our cyclists needed to use their facility, they’d be more than welcome to. Sitting on Duke’s campus in a chapter meeting, it seems that the only Pi Kapps in the world are in that room, with you, discussing the merits of a mixer versus a date function. National events like this really show how geographically diverse our fraternity is.

Friendship Visits

I’m telling two stories for this section, because both are near and dear to my heart, and they show the impact of friendship visits. First, Give Kids the World is a non-profit in Orlando that works with Make-A-Wish to fulfill the wishes of children with terminal illnesses. We volunteered twice with them. We served dinner in their mess hall one day, then breakfast the next day. During our dinner shift, we took it upon ourselves to provide entertainment for the families as they were eating. We sang songs, from Disney classics to Temptations favorites, while serving. Not all of us were musically gifted, but we put a lot into the entertainment factor. Soon, we had parents holding up their video cameras to us while we muddled our way through “My Girl,” or a random Spice Girls song. I even had the honor of doing a duet with a little girl to a Jonas Brothers song (she requested it, I swear!). We had signed agreements to not take pictures with the children or ask them about their illnesses, since they were on vacation and didn’t need to be bombarded with reminders of the real world, but soon parents were throwing their children into our arms to take pictures with them. Give Kids the World even received a letter from a parent thanking them for making their visit so special. At the end of the letter, she wrote, “Please let the boys know they really made our vacation magical…Know that you did make a difference in a young girl’s fight against cancer…just with your positive attitudes, energy and smiles.”

The next story also happened in Orlando. This was the most emotionally draining friendship visit we had during our trip. Many of the individuals we met there were victims of the carelessness of their mothers. Fetal alcohol syndrome was prominent. Describing this place would really not do it any justice. The women who worked there were absolutely spectacular. They talked about each individual as if he were their own children. One inspirational little boy was named Michael. He was born without a brain. He has a brain stem about the size of your pinkie finger nail. Michael was not supposed to live much more than a few weeks.

He was born five years ago.

Michael can smile, can hold up his own head at times, and they are convinced that he is able to see in some capacity. Our GUF team gave Michael a little of our Mo-Town magic, a meager gift in comparison to the inspiration he and the rest of the Russell Home gave to us.

People with Disabilities

The first friendship visit is always nerve-wracking. What do I say? How do I know if I’m communicating with them, or if I’m offending them? The key is to remember that people with disabilities are just that… People. One of my favorite aspects of our friendship visits was that at 80% of them, there would be one person who would walk up to at least half of our guys and challenge them to arm-wrestle. At maybe 95%, we had some semblance of a dance party or sing-along. You’re not there to learn about disabilities. You are there to make friends.

Arrivals

During our trip, we had four or five arrivals, which basically meant we were greeted at our lodging for the night or at our next friendship visit by groups of people clapping and screaming. We had an arrival at an elementary school, where the cyclists got to ride their bikes between rows of clapping children. We had another arrival in front of a crowd of over 300 volunteers and people with disabilities. At this one, the cyclists lined up and said hello to anyone who wanted to go down the line and shake hands. Some people even had autograph books and asked the crew and cyclists to sign. Talk about celebrity status! It was one of those moments where you realize that the work you’re doing is not only being noticed, but it’s genuinely appreciated.

Friends

It’s amazing how close you can get to a group of 31 guys over the span of only two weeks. By the end of the trip, I could tell you each person’s first and last name, what school he went to, and a memory of something he did on the trip that was memorable. Here I am, two months after the conclusion of the trip, memories still vivid in my mind, and inside jokes still running around in text messages and Facebook wall posts. I graduated at 10 a.m. on May 10, 2009, and I had to be in Charlotte, North Carolina at 4 p.m. that day for Crew Orientation. On the way down, I was incredibly disappointed that I didn’t have a chance to celebrate graduation with my friends, but my disappointment soon disappeared as I discussed van themes and ideas for a “bucket store” (one of the first GUF 2009 inside jokes). I already had a mini-reunion with about 1/3 of the team at a national fraternity conference, I’ll hopefully be seeing a few more this weekend at the JOH arrival, and talks are in place for an entire team reunion in Las Vegas at some point in the not-too-distant future.

I hope this gave you a glimpse into the awesomeness that is Gear Up Florida 2009. Even if you are not in Pi Kappa Phi, there is always a way you can help out with our programming, whether it is through sponsoring a team member, sponsoring a meal while on the road, or welcoming the team when they reach their final destination.

Since 1997, almost 300 Pi Kappa Phis have participated in Gear Up Florida. Each year, the team raises over $80,000 to benefit people with disabilities. Gear Up Florida was created with one mission in mind. To reach out to as many people as possible across the State of Florida, spreading a message of acceptance and understanding on behalf of people with disabilities. Gear Up Florida has served that mission well by creating an event that is touted as “The best two weeks of programming Push America has to offer.”

This 800-mile cycling event kicks off on the shores of Miami, travels through the Florida orange fields, reaches the Gulf coast, passes through Orlando, comes back to the Atlantic coast and culminates at the State Capitol in Tallahassee. The team spreads a message of acceptance and understanding to communities in Florida through newspapers, radio and television, civic groups and community leaders, reaching millions of people annually.

Gear Up Florida’s programming is what makes this event so unique. Every event is centered on the mission of the trek. Some days team members will visit three different organizations that support people with disabilities. Seeing the direct impact on the people they raise money for is very emotional for team members. You cannot help, but be touched by the gratitude and kindness that is shown along Gear Up Florida. When the trip is complete, team members always look back and it is the friendships made with people with disabilities that have the most impact on each man.

The whole point of this blog, my training and this run (other than bragging rights and getting into shape) is to fundraise for Push America.

Visit this link to donate!

In 1987, Bruce Rogers embarked on a daunting journey of cycling across the country in an effort to bring more attention to the mission of Push America. His trek inspired Push America to create the Journey of Hope in 1988, where the first 21-person team, led by Jim Karlovec, cycled from the west coast to Washington, D.C. Through the dedication and hard work of Jim Karlovec, Ken Kaiser, John Pierce, and Sally McArdle, cycling has become a great way to raise funds and spread awareness of the abilities of people with disabilities. Today the Journey of Hope has grown to three different routes with over 90 Pi Kappa Phis cycling every summer to build hope for the future.

With the experience and knowledge gained from coordinating the Journey of Hope, Push America expanded its cycling events by creating Gear Up Florida in 1997. Gear Up Florida is a two week, 800-mile cycling trip beginning in Miami and ending in Tallahassee. This trip has become the best two weeks of programming Push America has to offer with its incredible line-up of special events and extensive interaction with people with disabilities.

Push America’s construction efforts expanded in 1989 when the first Give-A-Push Weekend was held at Holy Angels in Charlotte, N.C. Now undergraduates from all over the country have the opportunity to attend one of these two-day programs, where they work together to construct accessible environments for facilities supporting people with disabilities. Two years later, the first week-long construction program entitled Push Camp, was held at the Clemson Outdoor Lab in Clemson, SC. Today, Pi Kappa Phi members forgo the traditional college spring break experience to attend this week of service, brotherhood and fun. The third construction program, AccessABILITY, was introduced in 1994 and is designed to allow undergraduates and alumni to participate in local service programs making homes accessible through the construction of wheelchair ramps.

In 1976, Pi Kappa Phi’s Executive Director, Durward Owen, began to move the fraternity towards a commitment to service.  Wanting to take advantage of the extraordinary manpower that thousands of undergraduate members could represent, Owen wanted to develop a service project that the men could undertake and staff on their own.

With that goal in mind, Owen approached a man named Thomas Sayre, a young architect who wanted to build therapeutic units for children with disabilities.  From that approach, in 1977, Push America was born.  Originally named PUSH (Play Units for the Severely Handicapped), the organization was established as a non-profit corporation under the umbrella of Pi Kappa Phi.  PUSH latter changed names to “People Understanding the Severely Handicapped,” then PUSH and now Push America.

What started out as construction of Thomas Sayre’s play unit has evolved into a collection of nationally recognized programs that promote a greater understanding of people with disabilities.

Here’s what I want you to do:

Go to twitter and log in (or create an account, whatever).

Look up and follow this user: hashtags

Anytime you tweet relating to Push America or people with disabilities add this tag: #PushAmerica

During my training and in the process of writing this blog, I will periodically make posts about Push America, its history, its programs, the lives it has changed, and the impact it has made on Pi Kappa Phis all over the country for the past 30+ years.

by Amy McLeod

As students get ready to leave the bi-polar weather of Elon University and head to their various tropical destination, it seems the one Spring Break staple this year are “frat shades.”

Devin Darrell and Paul Chabai sell "frat shades" to Robby Knelson.

The three dollar faux-Wayfarer sunglasses have taken the campus by storm and all credit goes to Elon juniors Chris Dorsey and Devin Darrell.

“The idea started,” Darrell said, “when I began wearing my own pair out to certain events and Chris noticed the hype people seemed to get when they saw them. He decided rather than just me letting people borrow them for short periods of time, why not supply the whole school with them?”

And that is exactly what they have done. Dorsey and Darrell and their recruited help have sold hundreds of pairs of the sunglasses and they can be seen all over campus.  The “frat shades” come in pink, green, yellow, orange, blue or any combination of colors.

“I had no idea that these sunglasses would become a phenomena,” Darrell said. “I knew a large group of people that was looking into getting them but I really thought we would have to push the rest to sell the entire shipment. But when they first came in I was making deliveries for hours trying to get everyone what they wanted.  I was blown away.”

Some of the money raised from the sunglasses will be given to the Pi Kappa Phi’s philanthropy, Push America.

“Maybe what we have left,” said Darrell, “will go to a huge cookout where the only entry cost will be wearing, obviously, your ‘frat shades.’”

The appeal of these sunglasses is obvious.  With the bright, fun colors and cheap price, everyone seems to find a reason to buy a pair.  Or a couple pairs.

“I always lose or break sunglasses,” said sophomore Anna Hulett, “especially expensive ones.  I bought a couple pairs of ‘frat shades’ so hopefully they’ll last me a while. At least through Spring Break would be nice.”

Whether students are going home to Boston, going to the Outer Banks of North Carolina or hitting up the tropical beaches of Jamaica, these colorful shades are about to burst the Elon bubble and head out in all their spring break glory.

When asked “Why frat shades?” senior Scott Leighty simply replied, “Why not frat shades? I do it for the ladies.”

Elon sophomores Meredith Reedy and Meghan McCrystal talk about “frat shades.”

On March 7 in Bossier City, a group of eight members and friends of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity will participate in the Polar Plunge, hosted by the Louisiana Special Olympics. Their participation will fulfil a Push America Challenge. The Push America Challenge is a program of Push America that allows Pi Kappa Phi’s and friends of the Fraternity to participate in an event that challenges them. Participants set a fundraising goal and spread awareness for people with disabilities.  They will take a quick dip in icy water to promote disability awareness. Each member of the team has dedicated themself to raise $100. The money will benefit Push America and the Louisiana Special Olympics. If you would like to help sponsor the team, click here. Online donations are secure and those over $25 are tax-deductible. For more information, contact the Beta Omicron Chapter Push America chairman Nick Breaux at nbro445@yahoo.com or (985) 519-1801.

By Ashley Dischinger

The brothers of Pi Kappa Phi hosted their annual Empathy Dinner yesterday evening at the fraternity house beginning at 7 p.m. The dinner aims to benefit PUSH America, the fraternity’s philanthropic cause. The event also allows students to gain perspective about those living with disabilities.

Junior Dan Browne serves spaghetti to senior Hal Martin at Pi Kappa Phi's Empathy Dinner benefitting PUSH America.

Students paid $2 for an all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner with all proceeds directly benefitting PUSH America. Upon arrival, students are randomly assigned a disability and are asked to simulate the disability throughout the course of the evening.

 Sophomore Geoff Hall, PUSH America Co-Chairman and head coordinator of the event emphasizes the importance of opening the community’s eyes to the everyday struggles of the disabled.

“The main purpose behind the dinner is to help people gain perspective about how challenging a simple task, like eating dinner, can be with a disability,” Hall explained. “PUSH America is focused on helping communities learn to empathize with people with disabilities rather than sympathize.”

Pi Kappa Phi Vice-President Dan Browne believes the event showcases the philanthropic aspects of Greek life.

“I think most people hear ‘fraternity’ and just think about a bunch of wild guys who like to party,” Browne said. “But the Empathy Dinner really shows the community the importance of philanthropic causes to our organization.”

Another aspect of the Empathy Dinner is to highlight the importance of teamwork among those with disabilities.

“One of my favorite things about this dinner is it makes you realize you can’t do certain things without the help of other people,” senior Hal Martin said. “I was assigned (the disability of not having) a right arm. It made me realize I can’t do simple things like cut my spaghetti, so I befriended someone who ‘doesn’t have a leg’ and we can help each other out. The hidden issue of this dinner is to find out how you can help your friends.”

Hall expressed his satisfaction with the positive feedback he received throughout the event.

“Most people have told me how much they enjoyed the dinner and that it was beneficial to gain a new perspective about how challenging it can be to have a disability,” Hall said.

Sophomore McKenzie Young, who attended the dinner for the second year in a row, gives similar praise.

“Last year I was blind and this year I don’t have any hands,” Young said. “It makes eating a little difficult, but the event really gives you a new perspective and shows you that attempting to do normal things (with a disability) is now a daily struggle.”

Members of Pi Kappa Phi founded PUSH America in 1977 and have since raised over eight million dollars nationally in support of various programs and projects to benefit the disabled. For more information about the cause, visit the PUSH America home page.

The Beta Omicron Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, in conjunction with Miss Northwestern Lady of the Bracelet 2008 Mandi Ridgdell, recently held a benefit concert for Push America. Ridgdell won the prestigious title in 2008, with Push America as her platform. On January 30, a crowd of almost 200 people from NSU and the surrounding area Rock and Rolled for Push America. The concert featured bands including Tyler Read, Dead by Morning, and Six Miles to Point. Chapter brothers distributed pamphlets about Push America and disabilities, while collecting $350 in donations.

Noelle Clemente 

Rip_Chord, Sweet Signatures, and Twisted Measure return for a second annual Push the Music. Whitley Auditorium filled up last Thursday night to support the philanthropy of Pi Kappa Phi and listen to Elon’s a cappella best.

Push America was created by the men of Pi Kappa Phi; philanthropy to raise money for people with disabilities. The men of the Epsilon Alpha chapter at Elon began Push the Music last spring.

Ben Kaufman, junior, is hugely responsible for the event. “I always wanted the a cappella groups to perform together at Elon because all three groups seldom had the chance to do a show together. Being a member of Twisted Measure and becoming the philanthropy chair for Pi Kappa Phi last year, I saw an immediate connection.”

Last spring the three groups took to the stage for the first annual Push the Music. Kaufman said, “this time around, we had over 250 people in the audience from a much broader background.” Not just Greek life, but alumni, staff, and members of national Push America came out to support.

Jay Kahn, chapter president, and Bobby Hoppey, chapter treasurer, hosted the evening, welcoming the gentlemen of Rip_Chord to the stage first.

The all male a cappella group impressed the crowd singing three songs and filling the crowd with laughter. They proved yet again to have presence and personality.

Sweet Signatures followed with another impressive performance. Never ladies to disappoint, the crowd continued excitement for the evening with their four performances, including the ever-popular “Disturbia.”

Dave Knavel and Andrew Matznick from Push America headquarters in Charlotte thanked the audience for supporting the cause. Matznick spoke informing the audience of exactly what they were supporting by paying $5 for Push the Music. Kaufman said, “our national office is always a huge help to us and it was a real honor to have them pay us a visit to see the show and take part in it.”  

Finally, Twisted Measure took the stage. The co-eds have entertained Elon for ten years. They did not disappoint with a great finale to the show. When Pi Kappa Phi brother Justin Hinote took the stage, it was heard loud and clear what the event was for.

All the proceeds from the evening went to PUSH America. The brothers, with the help of Elon’s a cappella groups raised $1,000 for Push America just from the show. “That $1000 is enough to fund an AccessAbility, where we design and construct a wheelchair ramp for a local resident who can’t afford one,” Kaufman said. “A one-hour a cappella show, then, could have just given a local resident a new shot at freedom. That’s the definition of success for me.”

On July 26, Brothers Adam Upshaw and Collin McKnight, along with 23 other Pi Kappa Phis rode through northeast Louisiana as part of the Journey of Hope. The cross-country bicycle ride, sponsored by Push America, raises money and awareness for people with disabilities. Brothers Cameron Moises, Cody Bourque, Lane Luckie, Wil Adams, Kyle Duhon, Shayne Creppel, and Brandon King traveled to Monroe, Louisiana to welcome Beta Omicron brothers and other Pi Kapps who were participating in the Journey of Hope. After visiting with the cyclists, they spent time with friends from ARCO, a local organization that empowers people with disabilities. The cyclists have been riding now for almost 2 months and will arrive in Washington, DC in late August.

A member of the Beta Omicron Chapter’s Rose Court competed June 19-21 in the Miss Louisiana Competition. Mandi Ridgdell, a senior at NSU, has selected Pi Kappa Phi’s philanthropy, Push America, as her personal platform. Ridgdell promoted disability awareness and Push America during her interviews, which was aired on live television to over 4 million Louisiana residents. Throughout her time at Northwestern State, she has been an avid supporter of Push America. She has participated in nearly every local Push America activity , including friendship visits and welcoming the Journey of Hope team in Shreveport. She is also planning a major Push America fundraising event set to take place this fall. Ridgdell won the preliminary talent competition, was a semifinalist in the top 10, and won the People’s Choice Award.

Two members of the Beta Omicron Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity are participating in a cross-country bicycle ride to raise money and awareness for people with disabilities.  Adam Upshaw of Coushatta, Louisiana and Collin McKnight of Austin, Texas will spend six weeks of their summer participating in the Journey of Hope, a cycling trek from San Francisco to Washington, D.C. The ride is a project of Push America, a philanthropy founded by Pi Kappa Phi. Teams stop in cities along the routes for friendship visits in which members are involved in service projects or events for people with disabilities.

Team members, who are all members of Pi Kappa Phi, are each required to raise over $5 thousand for Push America. The ride annually raises over a half-million dollars for people with disabilities.

McKnight’s girlfriend, Alicia Hector, will be contributing a regular journal which will appear on this website, keeping us informed on their progress. The following entry details their first few days in San Francisco.

Well the guys are now on day 3 in San Francisco! They are loving San Francisco. The weather is strange. One moment, it will be hot, and then the next it is cool, but overall it is a very beautiful city. When they arrived, they went to get their bikes put back together. Before they left Austin, they went to a bike shop to have their bikes [professionally] taken apart for easier transport. It took about 2 hours to put them back together. For the next few days, the guys are staying at the University of San Francisco. The Journey of Hope has 3 different teams: the North, South, and Transamerica routes. Collin and Adam are on the South team. The Transamerica group started about a week ago in Seattle, Washington. The North and South team will be riding together until Carson City, Nevada and then they split routes until finally meeting up again in Washington D.C. in August. Adam and Collin are staying in separate rooms, but it is a great opportunity to get to know other fraternity brothers from other chapters.

These first few days are dedicated to preparing for the long trip ahead. They are taking safety courses, nutrition classes, and even skills training classes. In Skills Training they learn about changing tires, paceline riding, and how to remain stable on the bike. In between the meetings/classes that they have, they have had a lot of free time to get to know each other. They figured if they were going to be with these guys all summer, then they should definitely get to know who everyone is!

Today, the team members went to Fisherman’s Wharf, which is a very popular tourist attraction. There is access to a ferry which goes to Alcatraz, all kinds of shops, entertainment and restaurants. Lunch was a sponsored meal by the Pi Alphas (Pi Kappa Phi men who have previously completed a national Push America event) at In & Out Burger which one of the more famous restaurants there. Collin said it is a tiny restaurant with maybe 4 things on the menu. Today they walked in at lunchtime, all 70 of them, and all the attention in the place went to them. He said people would walk in and see all the guys there, and walk right back out. Then one of the ladies who worked there kept getting frustrated because she was trying to get some of the guys to go to her line to order, but it was all on one ticket and she couldn’t understand that!

Tonight they had their first friendship visit. A friendship visit is where the whole team goes to a local foundation for people with disabilities and they interact with them and usually they have a meal, and then some sort of activity. Sometimes there are even media/press events at these friendship visits. Tonight their first one was at the Janet Pomery Center, which is a day facility for all ages. They played a basketball game, and the Journey of Hope guys lost! Despite losing, they had an awesome time, met some amazing people, and they are looking forward to all of the others.

Tomorrow morning, they are going on a 30-mile practice ride just outside San Francisco to make sure everything is running smoothly. They are starting at 6:30 AM. The guys said that they will just have to get used to that, because that is around the time that they will be leaving every morning!

Tomorrow night they have a kick-off dinner with many different speakers, including alumni, and members of the Pi Alpha Society (Push America Alumni who are Pi Kapps). And then Sunday morning, after the kick-off speeches, the North and South Journey of Hope teams will be riding across the Golden Gate Bridge at 7:30 am to officially begin the Journey of Hope 2008!

Thank you all for continuing to keep these men in your prayers!

The following is an excerpt from the daily journal kept by the Pi Kappa Phi brothers riding in Push America’s Gear Up Florida. The trek is a 2 week ride across the state of Florida, which provides opportunities to promote the message of Push America. Throughout the route, friendship visits and service projects will be completed to serve those with disabilities. Beta Omicron brothers Nick Breaux and Cody Bourque are participating in the event.

Day 2: May 16, 2008 | Miami, FL

Day two started with an early wake up, making sure the team was up and ready to go by 7am. It was the team’s first practice pack, which is where everything is packed and brought to the vans, as if a trip was to be made to the next city.

Practice pack is to be sure everyone knows what to expect on the mornings where no time is to be wasted before getting on the road to the next town.After the practice pack, all bags were returned to the rooms and bicycles were retrieved for an intense morning full of skills assessment. The team practiced changing flat tires, riding in pace lines and even worked on being able to pick up a water bottle off of the ground while riding the bicycle, which proved more difficult than some had imagined. However the difficulty did not hinder the team succeeding at the skill. Once completing the skills assessment the team met up for a session on cycling rules of the road, and a short debrief on the skills assessment.

After morning training, it was time for the team’s first friendship visit. The team piled in the vans and departed for the friendship visit at Possible Dreams. As soon as the team arrived, we were greeted with huge smiles and eagerness ready to hangout. The team met with the kids and jumped right in to playing basketball. Everyone taking turns shooting hoops. I have never seen such talent in so many young kids before. As much fun as basketball was, it did not take long for the kids to want to play “duck duck goose.” The team was very eager to play as most have not played for years. While many were playing “duck duck goose” some found joy in playing on the playground, going down the slide or on the swing. Everyone was really enjoying the time together. Visiting with the kids at Possible Dreams was an amazing experience and cannot wait for more friendship visits to come. After a couple hours of playing with the kids, it was unfortunately time for the team to depart and head back to campus.

After the friendship visit the team had a few hours to shower and get ready for dinner which was put on by the Theta Delta Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi. Theta Delta put on an Empathy dinner for our kick-off dinner. With attendance by many of the Greeks from campus, it was a great time. Many were stumped as to why marbles had been placed in-front of them, only to find out that they were to experience a disability during dinner. Some where blindfolded to experience blindness, others had hands tied behind their backs, certain fingers taped together, others were mute or deaf. Not everyone was given a disability; however most that was not given a disability had to help those with disabilities, allowing them to understand disabilities as well. After making it through dinner, we had a guest speaker. His name was David Pedemont-Forte. He was diagnosed with autism at the age of six and had overcome many of the obstacles that doctors had said he would not overcome. It is a really motivating story.

Brothers of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity spent part of their spring break making improvements to the Louisiana Lion’s Camp on behalf of Push America. March 28th through 30th, almost 30 members of Pi Kappa Phi from chapters at Northwestern State University, Louisiana State University, and Louisiana Tech met in Leesville, Louisiana to participate in one of Push America’s Give A Push Weekends. The event offered an opportunity to experience brotherhood with members from other chapters, but primarily provided much needed services that will directly benefit people with disabilities.

The Louisiana Lion’s Camp is a non-profit organization that provides free summer camps for boy and girls with mental and physical challenges, diabetes, and pulmonary disorders. The Pi Kappa Phi volunteers completed a pavilion, painted a swimming pool, placed boulders along a lake trail, and installed supports for a canopy along the pool. These projects will make the camp more accessible for campers with disabilities.

Brothers from NSU attending included: Lane Luckie, Adam Upshaw, DJ Klucznik, Wil Adams, Brad Deville, Nick Breaux, Brandon King, Chris Sanders, Kyle Domangue, Shawn Gaute, and Rodney Clements.

In addition to the physical labor, Push America presented the camp with a $5,000 grant.

For more information about Give-A-Push Weekend or other Push America programs, visit www.pushamerica.org.

Brothers of Pi Kappa Phi constructed the first phase of a boardwalk that will allow people in wheelchairs to experience nature up-close, some for the first time. November 9th-11th Adam Upshaw, Lane Luckie, Collin McKnight, Cody Bourque, and Matt Leblanc along with associate members Kyle Domangue and Andrew Thomas participated in one of Push America’s Give-A-Push Weekends in Rutledge, Georgia. They drove 10-hours to help Camp Twin Lakes, a non-profit organization that provides camp facilities and staff for numerous service organizations, many of which serve those with disabilities. Nearly 40 representatives from Pi Kapp chapters across the region worked together to construct the first phase of a 3/4 mile boardwalk skirting a lake on the camp property.

Eventually a fully-accessible tree house will be constructed at the end of the boardwalk. The Pi Kapp volunteers also helped with several smaller projects such as the demolition of a canoe rack. The weekend provided an opportunity to experience brotherhood with members from other chapters, as well as interaction with the campers who will use the new boardwalk.

Push America also presented Camp Twin Lakes with a $5,000 grant over dinner during the first full night. Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse was so impressed by the efforts of Pi Kappa Phi, the company pledged to match dollar-for-dollar any purchases the camp makes using the grant. Beta Omicron plans to send many more participants in these events over the coming semesters and encourages all members to be actively involved in Push America events both nationally and locally. Plans are currently being discussed to bring a G-A-P Weekend to the Lion’s Camp in nearby Leesville, Louisiana. For more information about Give-A-Push Weekend or other Push America programs, visit www.pushamerica.org.

After a week of service, Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, with the help of four NSU sororities, raised over $1,000 for Push America.  The Fraternity’s annual “War of the Roses” is a friendly, week-long competition designed to spread awareness about disabilities, raise funds for Push America, and provide service to enhance the lives of those with disabilities. 

On October 29th through November 2nd, NSU sorority women participated in activities designed to spread awareness about living with a disability.  A wheelchair relay allowed able-bodied students to realize how physically demanding it can be to maneuver a wheelchair.  Students learned how to give adequate verbal instructions through a blind-folded tee ball match.  A bake-off encouraged participants to utilize limited sensory methods.  Pi Kappa Phi and participating sororities threw a Halloween Party for the Natchitoches Association of Retarded Citizens.  Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity presented the N.A.R.C. with a $500 check to aid the organization’s services to the Natchitoches community.  Sorority women also raised funds for Push America through individual fundraising events and Penny Wars. 

The week ended with an empathy dinner at the NSU Recreation Complex.  Simulated disabilities were assigned to the participants to help them understand how difficult something as simple as eating can be.  Two mothers of children with disabilities shared their experiences with disabilities.  Each sorority was recognized for outstanding service to Push America.  Alpha Omicron Pi was the overall winner of the 2007 War of the Roses.  Phi Mu placed second, while Alpha Sigma Alpha placed third.  Sigma Sigma Sigma was awarded fourth place.

Rodney Clements, Beta Omicron (Northwestern State University), will serve as Push America’s new Director of Chapter Services and will work closely with chapters to help take Push America to the next level of service throughout universities across the country.

Push America added Clements to the staff in early September where he will be working with chapters on their Push America fundraising, volunteerism and awareness.

“I am thrilled to be a part of the Push America team,” Clements said, “and even more excited for the opportunity to work with undergraduate chapters of Pi Kappa Phi in the coming years.”

Clements is a recent graduate of Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. As an undergraduate, Clements served as the Push America Chairman, Historian and Archon of his chapter. As a 2007 Journey of Hope team member, Clements served as the Public Relations Coordinator for the Trans America route.

“Participating in the Journey of Hope was the best experience of my life,” Clements said. “It enabled me to grow as an individual while making a positive impact on the lives of others. It is something that I would encourage everyone to do.”

Push America would like to welcome Rodney Clements to the team and look forward to the positive impact he will have on the organization. For any information regarding chapter services, please contact Rodney Clements at rclements@pushamerica.org or (704) 504-2400 ext. 117.

On May 30, Beta Omicron chapter member Cameron Moises was among a team of 31 men who cycled across the state of Florida on behalf of people with disabilities.  The team of Pi Kappa Phis arrived at the steps of the Florida State Capitol Building in Tallahassee after two weeks and over 800 miles traveled.  Even more incredible than cycling through exhaustive heat and uncharacteristic rains was the team’s commitment to fundraising.  The 2009 Gear Up Florida team raised over $90,000 on behalf of people with disabilities, ensuring that the amazing organizations that partner with Gear Up Florida can continue to do so.

The ride helps promote awareness of disabilities and the organization’s mission of focusing on a person’s abilities first.  The team spreads a message of acceptance and understanding to communities in Florida through newspapers, radio and television, civic groups and community leaders, reaching millions of people annually.  After a full day of riding, the team stops for a friendship visit with a local group that supports people with disabilities.  Common activities include: dancing, participating in a game of wheelchair basketball, performing puppet shows to educate children on the abilities of people with disabilities, and learning life lessons that will impact them for the rest of their lives.

Moises is the fifth person from Northwestern State University to participate in Gear Up Florida. He plans to ride again in 2010.

[Portions of this article from http://www.pushamerica.org]

It is often said that among the most difficult obstacles faced by people with disabilities, are the misconceptions of others. In an effort to help the NSU campus empathise, rather than sympathize for disabilities, Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity held their annual Empathy Dinner on March 3, 2009. Push America, the Fraternity’s philanthropy, serves people with disabilities through fundraising, volunteerism, and awareness. The empathy dinner is designed to allow participants to understand the challenges that accompany living with a disability.

Students, faculty, and other guests were randomly assigned a simulated disability. Some were blindfolded, other participants’ arms were restrained behind their back, while others could not speak. For the duration of the dinner, the guests were asked to interact with each other and also attempt to eat a meal, while portraying their disability.  While the outside observer might perceive the event as disrespectful or strange, those involved stressed the importance of the lesson learned.  Chapter president Wil Adams said, “Sometimes you don’t stop to think, how much effort goes into overcoming a disability.” After the dinner, those in attendance discussed what they learned from the simulation and how it will affect their interaction with people living with disabilities. Adams said, “It [the event] generated a lot of questions about Push America, which makes me feel like we accomplished our goal, to raise awareness.”

Over 50 people attended the event, held in the Sylvan Friedman Student Union Ballroom. The evening concluded with a keynote speech from Beta Omicron Chapter alumnus, and former Push America national staff member Rodney Clements. Clements spoke about his experiences with the philanthropy and how Push America has impacted his life. Clements participated in the philanthropy’s cross-country bicycling event, the Journey of Hope, in 2007. Pi Kappa Phi National Fraternity leadership consultant Walter Pape was also in attendance at the event. The evening raised over $300 for Push America.

Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity continued their committment to Push America by “doing whatever it takes.” To raise awareness for people with disabilities, members of the Beta Omicron Chapter camped out on a scaffold from March 2nd until the 4th. The attention-getting event involved over 40 participants sitting on or around the Chapter House on University Parkway.  During the day and throughout the night, members reached out the Natchitoches community by enticing cars to “Honk For Push.”This was the first time member Chris Whetmore had participated in a Push America event.  He said, “I thought this was a different and creative way to raise awareness for Push America. It caught a lot of peoples’ attention.” Members of other fraternities, sororities, campus organizations, and fellow students took turns sitting on the scaffold.  The chapter helped educate participants about disabilities by passing out educational materials and collecting donations for Push America, the national philanthropy of the Fraternity.  The event raised over $700 for projects to support people living with disabilities.