This summer, approximately 56 cyclists and 14 crew members will be making a 3,500 mile trip as part of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity’s “Journey of Hope.”

Ames has been chosen as a stop along the journey.

The group, comprised of Pi Kappa Phi members from all over the United States, will arrive in Ames on July 20 and will depart on July 21.

The Journey of Hope is part of the fraternity’s philanthropy titled PUSH America — a nonprofit organization that strives to increase awareness and raise money for people with disabilities.

The Journey of Hope is the biggest event in the PUSH America organization, although several other events are hosted throughout the year.

The cross-country cycling team will travel about 70 miles per day and visit about 122 communities along the route.

Within the communities, the teams make “friendship visits” where they donate attention to physically and mentally disabled people.

For the first week, the team travels together, then splits into two groups — one team travels north and the other goes south.

The entire team will reunite in Washington D.C. in August.

The route started in San Francisco and will end in Washington D.C. Aug. 14.

Each team member raised $4,000 to participate in the event, and the team as a whole raised over $300,000 to benefit the PUSH America project.

Kevin Sutherland, senior in material science and engineering, made the Journey of Hope trip last summer and traveled with 33 other members.

The trip was worth the time and money, he said.

“It was a truly rewarding experience — making [the trip] as well as visiting with disabled kids,” he said.

Sutherland is a member of the Alpha Omicron chapter of Pi Kappa Phi at ISU.

No one from the ISU chapter is making the Journey of Hope this summer, but the local fraternity is sponsoring the team visit in Ames.

Members of the Journey of Hope team will be staying at Pi Kappa Phi fraternity house, 407 Welch Ave.

On July 21 at 2 p.m., Sutherland, Brad Haigh, senior in landscape architecture, and Preston Linely, junior in pre-optometry, along with other fraternity members will host a puppet show at the Pi Kappa Phi house for kids and adults in Ames and surrounding areas.

The puppet show, titled “Kids on the Block” will be performed with the sole purpose of teaching kids about people with disabilities and raising their awareness on the subject.

“All kids are invited, and anyone else is welcome to come see the team and what we’re about,” Haigh said.

Snacks and refreshments also will be served at this event.

Other sponsors of The Journey of Hope include Superior Bank, KRG Capital, Saturn Corporation, White Cap Industries, Diversified Electronics, Bank of America and AT&T Wireless Services.