USM students travel two months on bikes to raise awareness

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Two USM students spent their summer traveling across the country to raise awareness in a special way.

Honor students, Will Ford and Cam Kenney, journeyed across the country to spread a message of acceptance and understanding.

“I belong to Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and our philanthropy is called ‘The Ability Experience’ and one of the ways that we fund raise is through journey of hope, which is what the cycling journey is called.” USM student, Will Ford said.

The Journey of Hope is an annual cross-country bike trek that serves as a fund raiser for people with physical and mental disabilities.

Will and Cam, each a member of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, cycled 80 miles or more a day across the country to engage with people diagnosed with different disabilities. The engagements are known as 'friendship visits', which includes; having dinner, dancing, playing sports, and other activities.

“In Casper Wyoming I met an individual named Warren...he used to work for the organization that we had the friendship visit with and then he developed several tumors on his pituitary gland and had to get his whole pituitary gland removed.” Ford said.

Kenney cycled 3,700 miles from San Fransisco to Washington D.C. and Ford cycled 4,300 miles from Seattle to Washington D.C.

Kenney and Ford said the journey taught them appreciation, gratitude and the true meaning of service unto mankind.