Journey of Hope Rides into the North Shore

Push America's Journey of Hope arrived in Glenview last week as part of an annual cross country bike ride by members of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity to help raise awareness and funds for people with disabilities. Riders and volunteers from throughout the North Shore participated in the event.

Big Blast, a nonprofit offering therapy and recreation programs for children with special needs, threw a party in to celebrate the riders' achievement. 

The Big Blast-Journey of Hope celebration featured music, games, food, a buddy baseball event and a karate demonstration by Big Blast kids.

"Most of us weren't avid cyclist when we started," rider Eli Armstrong told Patch. "We get on the bike and we push it and on those days when it gets really hard we always think about those people that we're serving. We always ride for somebody each day, somebody who might not have the opporutnity to go out and do something like this."

The Journey of Hope riders are a bit over halfway through their 4,000 mile ride, which began in San Fransisco and ends in Washington, D.C. on August 13th.  Each rider had to commit to raising a minimum of $5,000. In total, the group raised $550,000 this year, an all time-high for the initiative since the inaugural ride in 1988. 

This is the second year Big Blast has held a celebration in recognition of the riders as they arrive in town and the event marked the first the organization has put on since officially become a nonprofit, Penzell said.

Above, check out photos from the day's celebration.