Nationally
Pi Kappa Phi owns and operates a national philanthropy called The Ability Experience (formally known as Push America). The Ability Experience is a non-profit organization that was founded by members of Pi Kappa Phi in 1977. It is the exclusive service learning project of the fraternity, aiming to serve people with disabilities and instill lifelong service in all members of Pi Kappa Phi. Initially begun as a project to build therapeutic play units for children with disabilities, the organization has become synonymous with fundraising, service and awareness for people with any type or degree of disability.
Since its conception, the Ability Experience has grown to include a number of different events across the nation. These include the Journey of Hope – a cross country bike ride, and Build America – a program aimed at building facilities for people with physical disabilities. Through these events as well as the work of individual chapters, The Ability Experience has raised more than $8 million in support of people with disabilities.
At Purdue
Omega chapter is proud of our great involvement in the Ability Experience. Throughout the Year we host a number of events aimed at helping people with disabilities. These events include Arctoberfest, David Feltner Memorial Bike-a-Thon, War of Roses, Lafayette Jefferson High School special needs classes visitation, Second Chance Pi Kapp/Best Buddy prom, Pi Kapp 100 and Journey of Hope.
Because of its commitment to the Ability Experience, the chapter received the 2017 and 2018 Star of Hope Award, recognizing it as the top chapter nationally in overall contributions to the national philanthropy. It was the third time in the last 10 years the chapter has been so recognized nationally.
Arctoberfest
Arctoberfest is an annual Halloween costume
An Arc of Tippecanoe client celebrates winning one of the costume awards at the 2016 Arctoberfest.
War of Roses empathy dinner guests hear from chapter Ability Experience chairman.
party held for the local Arc of Tippecanoe, an organization that helps people over the age of 18 with physical and mental disabilities. The event is includes games, snacks and costume competitions.
Mitch Holsopple mans a booth at the 2017 Arctoberfest.
Bike-A-Thon
The annual David R. Feltner Memorial Bike-A-Thon is a 72-hour event held each Homecoming week in memory of David Feltner (1988-2011). The original Bike-A-Thon was held to raise enough money to purchase a special needs dog to assist him with balance and emergency needs. David rode last five minutes of the inaugural event in April 2011. Tragically, David died three months after the first event. Since that time, his parents ride the last five minutes of the annual bike-a-thon.
Candy and Steve Feltner ride the final moments of the Seventh Annual David Feltner 72-hour Memorial Bike a Thon in 2017, at the base of the Purdue belltower.
Many sororities on campus also participate in Bike-A-Thon every year, as the event kicks off with a race to see which sorority can pedal the farthest in a set amount of time. In 2017, the ride raised $4,000 and participants included chapter alumni and a campus administrator. Approximately 200 people rode in 2017.
War of Roses
The annual War of Roses events include empathy training, disabilities races and the capstone event, a talent show in Purdue’s Loeb Playhouse. Most of the Purdue sororities participate alongside chapter members each spring.
Chapter members pose with the 2018 Rose Queen on March 22, 2018.
The Partnership
Pi Kappa Phi-Omega maintains and active relationship with the special needs classrooms of Lafayette Jefferson High School. The chapter sends brothers every day to these classrooms to play games and help tutor local kids with mental disabilities.
Antonio Mojena works with a student at Lafayette Jefferson High School in November 2017.
Jack Russell clowns around with a student in a Lafayette Jefferson High School special needs class in November 2017.
Second Chance Pi Kapp/Best Buddies Prom
Chapter members team up with Best Buddies-Purdue to host special needs adults who did not get the opportunity to attend a high school prom.
Members of Best Buddies-Purdue pose with the Second Chance Prom participant.
Evan Doelling and Matt Saltsgaver entertain a Arc of Tippecanoe client at the Second Chance Prom in 2018.
Pi Kapp 100
Established in 1999, each spring chapter members ride 100 kilometers from Zionsville to the Purdue campus raising funds and awareness for people with disabilities. More than two dozen riders participate each year. Riders have included alumni and one mom thus far. Each rider and crew member commit to raising a certain amount of money for the chapter’s annual Ability Experience fund-raising.
Members of the 2018 Pi Kapp 100 pose for a team photo.
Journey of Hope
The Journey of Hope is a cross country bike ride to raise money and awareness for people with disabilities. JOH is undertaken by Pi Kapps from chapters across the nation, with Omega as one of the leading participants. In each of the last three years, the chapter has had 10 or more JOH team members, the first such accomplishment in history. At least another nine will participate in 2018, too. The chapter’s first rider was in 1991 – Brian Carlson – and by 2018, it will have had 76 participants in the summer-long event. Furthermore, in 2017, it became the first chapter to ever have 10 or more Journey of Hope participants for three years in a row. In 2018, there will be another nine riding.
The 2017 Journey of Hope/Build America group photo on the US Capitol Lawn in Washington, DC