It’s a proven fact that when you put dogs and philanthropy together, you are bound to have overwhelming success. And one fraternity at Grand Valley State University in Michigan is doing just that, in a unique way.
At the end of this semester, members of Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity will bike over 1300 miles to Chicago to raise money for Canine Companions for Independence (CCI). The non-profit organization provides “highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships. The dogs, their training and all follow-up support are provided free of charge to the recipients,” according to a fundraising page for the event. The trip itself will take roughly eight days and will stop in Bear Lake, Michigan; St. Ignace, Michigan; Escanaba, Michigan; Green Bay, Wisconsin; Milwaukee; Libertyville, Illinois; and St. Joe, Illinois en-route to Chicago.
The chapter has supported the organization with this ride for the last 21, according to senior and event organizer Samuel Nathan. He told the Grand Valley Lanthorn, “We raised over $200,000 for the past 21 years. We are completely self-funded and pledge to bike from here to Chicago in hopes of receiving donations. It’s an amazing event because everyone on campus does something to get involved.” The chapter’s goal for 2016? $50,000.
Even though the ride isn’t for a bit, the event’s fundraising efforts actually kick off right now. On February 9th, they held a “Puppy Love Date Auction,” which raised $2,900 and on February 23rd, the chapter will be set up with snacks and puppies in the university’s Kirkhof Center. And in case you were wondering what goes into a 1300 mile bike ride, they even produced a video to show you:
To help the guys meet their goal, visit their fundraising page here..
[via Grand Valley Lanthorn]
Image via Twitter