Summer is a time for many people to go on vacation, work summer jobs, or visit family. For Christian Aguinaldo, he'll spend the summer biking from Los Angeles to Washington D.C. as part of Journey of Hope. Aguinaldo is a student at California-Berkeley, member of the club golf team, and serves as NCCGA Regional Coordinator of the Pacific Region.
Journey of Hope is a fundraising and awareness event that is part of The Ability Experience, a nonprofit that serves as the national philanthropy for Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. The event raises money and awareness for people with disabilities.
"Creating equal opportunities for people of all abilities is a cause that I can definitely stand behind," said Aguinaldo. "The friendship visits where we meet and directly interact with people with disabilities is a great opportunity to grow as a person while influencing the lives of many people."
Aguinaldo's trek will cover 13 states and over 3,500 miles. Overall three different routes are taken by the groups. One starts in Seattle, one in San Francisco, and the other in Los Angeles. All groups meet in Washington DC on August 8, which means a two month journey.
"I also am really excited to explore different states and cultures across the country on a bike. Pushing myself through 85 miles in 116 degree in Death Valley was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but it has been a great learning experience so far and I'm really excited to keep going."
The trip is only for Pi Kappa Phi members and alumni. Aguinaldo is the Philanthropy Chairman of the Gamma Chapter at his school. Prior to starting the trip, participants were required to raise money. Aguinaldo raised almost $6,000. Here's the fundraising video he created:
**Travis Richardson is an NCCGA Zone Manager supporting club golf teams on both the East and West Coasts. Contact him via e-mail travis@nccga.org.
