Fairhope High School graduate and junior at the University of South Alabama Andrew Augustine is training for an 800-mile bike ride. In May, he will meet 37 others in Miami and begin a zigzagging trek across the state of Florida to raise money and awareness on behalf of people with disabilities.

The trip, called Gear Up Florida, is a project of Push America, a nonprofit organization founded in 1977 by Augustine’s fraternity, Pi Kappa Phi. Nationwide, its members have raised more than $10 million for people with disabilities.

Each day during the 16-day trip, Augustine will ride an average of 70 miles per day, stopping in 13 counties along the way to put on awareness events.

“That’s really the main point is to educate communities about how to better treat people with disabilities,” Augustine said.

Augustine is also raising money through pledges from friends, family and members of the community. His goal is to raise $3,500, all of which will be used for Push America projects throughout the United States. Pi Kappa Phi chapters pool their money together, and individual chapters are reimbursed for projects they complete in their communities.

“The fundraising is really essential to this, because if I don’t raise the money, I won’t be able to participate in the event,” Augustine said.

So far, he has raised $1,845.

Pi Kappa Phi at USA’s main project is its local participation of the nationwide AccessABILITY program, which provides wheelchair ramps to people in need. Augustine’s fraternity works in Mobile and Baldwin counties.  

Augustine said he joined Pi Kappa Phi at USA because of the compassion for people with disabilities instilled in him by his mother, Rhonda Augustine, who teaches special education at Fairhope Elementary School.

The college senior started training for Gear Up Florida last August. So far, he has been running and training on indoor bikes, riding up to 65 miles a day. He also strictly adheres to a sleeping regimen, going to bed around 10:30 p.m. and waking up at 5 a.m. every day. He runs two miles, bikes and then goes to work and school. As a college student, this schedule takes discipline, and as an athlete, it is grueling, he said.

“It’s very exhausting,” he said. “I used to run cross-country, and I thought I was in shape when I first started doing this, but it really kicks your butt.”

In addition to raising awareness for the importance of treating people with special needs fairly, Augustine said he also works to fight the negative stereotypes about fraternities. His experience has been nothing but positive, and he has been amazed at the fraternity’s philanthropy, he said.

“Don’t listen to the negative connotations,” he said. “Of course, there are the bad apples, but there are more good people out there than there are bad people.”

After graduation in the fall, Augustine said he plans to go into the military or law enforcement. Gear Up Florida will be a great way to end his college career, he said.

To donate to Augustine’s Gear Up Florida fund, visit www.pushamerica.org. Under the “Give” box on the menu bar, click “Support a team member” and enter Andrew Augustine. Augustine may be contacted directly via email at augustine517n2@aol.com.