Peter “P.J.” LaFemina, a 2006 graduate of Bishop Gorman High School, is one of the 35 southern route riders in PUSH America’s Journey of Hope cross-country bicycle trek peddling their way from San Francisco to Washington, D.C. Comprised entirely of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity members, the group will stop in Las Vegas June 21 and 22 to spend time with interested Las Vegans and bring encouragement to people with disabilities. LaFemina, a 19-year-old business major at the University of Washington in Seattle, won’t be spending much time at home in Las Vegas this summer. His Journey of Hope group plans to finish their ride Aug. 12 in Washington, D.C., having traveled approximately 4,000 miles and raised thousands of dollars for charitable work.

The riders have been traveling since June 10, biking an average of 75 miles each day, then participating in special events that support people with disabilities. In Las Vegas, the riders will put on a “Kids on the Block” puppet show for the children enrolled in summer camp at the city of Las Vegas Department of Leisure Services Veterans Memorial Leisure Services Center June 21. The puppet show will focus on the abilities of people with disabilities and allow children to ask questions of the puppets that they might not be comfortable asking people. After the puppet show, fraternity members will put on a wheelchair basketball demonstration.

On Friday, June 22, the Journey of Hope riders will accompany those enrolled in summer camp at Lorenzi Adaptive Recreation Center to the Circus Circus AdventureDome for a day of fun, returning to Lorenzi Park in the late afternoon to share a family-style barbecue.

For more information on the Journey of Hope activities in Las Vegas or the city of Las Vegas Department of Leisure Services Adaptive Recreation program, call (702) 229-4902. For more information on PUSH America’s Journey of Hope, go online to www.pushamerica.org/events/joh or call (704) 504-2400. For a profile of P.J. LaFemina, go online to https://secure.pushamerica.org/events/profile.cfm?rID=1159720&ridecode=joh2007.