Fraternity raises funds, cycles for philanthropy

With sweatpants and bedhead, Andy Henry of Pi Kappa Phi began pedaling one of the stationary bicycles at Dede Plaza at 8 a.m. Tuesday.

The 24-hour stationary bike ride began at midnight Tuesday and is only one portion of Pi Kappa Phi's first No Boundaries Week to benefit Push America, the fraternity's philanthropy, a nonprofit organization that serves people with disabilities.

Henry, a sophomore professional aviation flight technology major, did a total of four hours on the bicycle.

"I feel great. I'm here to help out," he said.

When Henry started pedaling Tuesday morning, Keith Gettelfinger, a sophomore business management major and bicycle rider for Pi Kappa Phi, was standing on the scaffolding, also set up at Dede Plaza.

"The best part for me is just being out here raising money and knowing that we're helping out people with disabilities," Gettelfinger said.

There will be at least two men on the scaffolding at all times, to show the fraternity's dedication to people with disabilities, said Cody Parks, a sophomore business management major and member educator for the fraternity.

Seeing the willingness of the campus to donate was also a highlight, Gettelfinger said.

Gettelfinger will be competing in the Trike race during Homecoming week, but claims the two hours on the stationary bicycle probably won't give him an edge.

He said if anything, he will just get an extra cardiovascular workout.

No Boundaries Week began at 10 a.m. Monday, and multiple Pi Kappa Phi members will be present 24 hours per day through 6 p.m. Friday.

The week will wrap up with the Empathy Dinner on Friday, where attendees will be assigned a disability and must eat with that disability, Parks said.

"We're all doing at least seven hours of service," said Chase Gray, a junior accounting major and Pi Kappa Phi member.

"The people who sign up at night are the alumni who are still here and wanted to help out, so it's not just active guys in the chapter, it's alumni, too," Parks said.

Gray said Pi Kappa Phi is the only fraternity in the world to own and operate its philanthropy.

We started Push America, he said. All donations collected throughout the week will benefit Push America.

Besides riding the bicycles and standing on the scaffolding, fraternity members are also making sure no one gets hurt (on the bicycles or the scaffolding), collecting donations and talking to people about the fraternity.

"We were out here in the pouring rain yesterday," said John Ricketts, a sophomore open preference major and Pi Kappa Phi member. "I've been here for about 24 hours of service in the last two days."

( Lana Schrock is a sophomore speech language pathology major. She can be reached at sascamed@isugw.indstate.edu.)