PRESS RELEASES - JULY 2006

The Journey of Hope Stops in Arlington
Welcoming Ceremony is 9 a.m. Monday at City Hall

July 12, 2006

This summer marks the 10th year that the City of Arlington has been a host city for a team of cyclists on a 4,000 mile cross-country trek that raises awareness of people with disabilities.
At 9 a.m. on Monday, July 17, one of three teams of cyclists will arrive at City Hall escorted by Arlington Police Department motorcycle unit.

The welcoming ceremony will be led by Arlington Deputy Mayor Pro-Tem Steve McCollum. The public is invited to join members of the Mayor’s Committee on People with Disabilities to greet the cyclists in the City Hall Courtyard located at 101 W. Abram St. in downtown Arlington.
Pi Kappa Phi fraternity began the Journey of Hope project in 1988 as a program of its Push America non-profit organization. Today, it is the largest fraternal fundraising and awareness event of its kind, raising more than $500,000 annually. Individually, each of the 72 cyclists is required to raise at least $5,000.

Two teams of 28 cyclists began their treks in San Francisco on June 10, with another team of 16 riders beginning their route from Florence, OR on June 3. All three teams will arrive in Washington, D.C. on August 12. Arlington is near the midway point for the southern route.

On Tuesday, July 18, the team will accompany a group of approximately 60 disabled Arlington youth to Six Flags Hurricane Harbor for an afternoon of swimming and games. Whitten Inn at 121 E. Interstate 20 is providing complimentary rooms for the cyclists and their ground crew. Other community partners include Whole Foods Market, Kroger, Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, First Eye Care and the Fort Worth CATS Baseball Club.

For more information about the Arlington welcoming ceremony, call Council Assistant Tony Rutigliano at 817-459-6141 or e-mail rutiglianot@ci.arlington.tx.us. For more information on Push America and the Journey of Hope, visit www.pushamerica.org.