Alex Shrum is ready to hit the road this summer on his bike through a Journey of Hope cross-country bike ride. Annette Arnold
Shrum is a junior at Purdue University (Omega) studying biomedical engineering and is a member of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, a philanthropic group.
“Our big thing is helping people with disabilities, so I heard that we will be participating in this Journey of Hope bike ride and I went for it,” Shrum said. “We will be raising money and awareness for people with physical and mental disabilities.”
Shrum, of Hebron, will leave in June for the 10-week bike ride. There are three routes for the 4,000-mile ride. Shrum will begin in Seattle, Wash., and end in Washington, D.C. Of the 100 people on his ride, 10 are from Purdue.
“Our fraternity at Purdue has a partnership with local high schools and we help kids there with disabilities,” he said. “So I got involved with the kids and help them and I wanted to be part of this.”
Shrum is looking forward to the bike ride but his biggest concern is doing 100 miles in a day.
“I’ve been training and am up to 60-some miles a day,” Shrum said.
Each rider has to raise $5,500, but Shrum has set his goal at $7,000.