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July 16, 2012

Journey of Hope rides into town, visits ULM

On Thursday, July 12, The University of Louisiana at Monroe welcomed cyclists from Journey of Hope, a cross-country cycling event to raise money for people with disabilities.

Their trip began on June 6, in Long Beach, Calif., and will culminate on Aug. 5 in Washington, D.C.

According to the Push America Web site, “The event raises funds and awareness for people with disabilities. Simply put, the Journey of Hope is a ride with a purpose. Make no mistake; this is not a simple ride. Journey of Hope is about many things. It is about challenging the norm. It is about serving our communities. It is about finding out more about ourselves than we ever imagined. It is about having a dream. It is about a mission. It is about hope.”

Cheered on by local supporters from ARCO, the cyclists stopped for one night in Monroe, with ULM’s Bayou Suites as their host lodgings for the evening.

First time rider Davis Browning of Fort Worth, Texas said that on day 36 of 60, “It’s still an incredible experience. To come out and interact with our supporters, and to see the people we raise money for, it is ten times more incredible than I could have ever imagined.”

Journey of Hope is part of Push America, which began as an organization that prided itself on constructing play units for children with disabilities.

Now the organization, created in 1976 by Durward Owen, former executive director of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, holds cycling events across the country and have provided millions of volunteer hours for those in need.

For more information visit www.pushamerica.org

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