ALACHUA COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – A pack of bicyclists pedaled into the parking lot of The Arc of Alachua County arriving to rockstar treatment – a police escort, cheering fans and requests for autographs.
“This is the Super Bowl for the residents. This is something they look forward to every day,” said rider Joe Brady. “I had one young man tell me that they literally pray every day for the bike riders to come back.”
There was as much spandex as there were smiles at Tuesday’s Gear Up Florida event which is described as a friendship visit, an annual morning of fun with the organization’s developmentally disabled clients.
Gear Up Florida is an initiative started by The Ability Experience, a nonprofit created by members of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. The mission is to change the way society views people with disabilities and fraternities.
For two weeks in May, the group bikes across the Sunshine State to raise awareness about developmental disabilities and empower people living with them.
The journey starts at the beaches of Miami and traverses 950 miles through the state on the way to the finish line in Tallahassee.
Their trek takes them from the sunny A1A roads of Boca Raton to Clewiston, Florida, near Lake Okeechobee. Just before arriving in Gainesville, the group had completed a 90-mile journey from Orlando to Ocala, where they stayed at Tomorrow’s Equestrian Center.
About half of the more than 60 riders are currently in college.
The others, like Brady, are self-proclaimed “silver backs,” a polite way of saying they’ve been around the block.
Brady says the ride is just as much about the people they meet along the way as it is about mentoring their younger fraternity brothers – teaching them servant leadership, the principle of service over self.
John Bradford and his son, Jack, are the first ever father-son duo to take part in the journey.
Last summer, Jack participated in the Journey of Hope, another initiative kickstarted by The Ability Experience. The ride started on the West Coast and traveled 12,000 miles across the country to end up on the Capitol lawn in Washington, D.C.
When it was over, Jack jokingly asked his father if he’d want to do the Gear up Florida ride with him.
“I think I just nagged him enough to the point that he said, ‘Yes,'” said Jack.
John says he is very proud to be witnessing his son and the younger members of the crew flourish into men of character.
“To watch them interact with these individuals with disabilities is really incredible,” said John. “They’re not just sitting on the sidelines–they’re actually engaging.”
Food, fellowship and fun including busting a move on the dance floor are all part of the bonding between cyclists and the people whose cause they’re championing.
After the festivities were done, the riders then packed up their bags, jumped back on their bikes and continued their travels.
From Gainesville, the cyclists headed to Jacksonville. After a day of rest, they will ride to Live Oak and then finish up in Tallahassee on Saturday. The last two rides will be the longest for a single day, 100 miles each.
A lot of time in the saddle to reflect on the impact of their effort.
Since its establishment, Gear Up Florida has raised close to $200,000 to benefit people with disabilities. Each cyclist commits to fundraising at least $3,500. If you’d like to donate, you can do so here.