A dozen men decked out in all-purple outfits pedaled down Russellville Road, their faces red from the humid Kentucky air. It had been over 48 days since they’d touched the Hill, and even though they’re back in Bowling Green, they still have 20 more days before their job is done.
In about 1,000 miles, these men can say that they trekked across the country, coast to coast, to spread awareness about Alzheimer’s disease.
The Bike4Alz Team 12, a group of 12 WKU students that are also fraternity brothers in Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI), is raising awareness and donations for the study of Alzheimer’s disease, a memory loss disorder that is affecting nearly 7 million Americans today. The group started their journey on May 21 in San Francisco, and they have planned to bike over 3,000 miles to Virginia Beach, Virginia by July 28.
On Monday, as the formation of riders came out from under the railroad overpass that displays the WKU motto, “The Spirit Makes The Master,” a crowd of family members, friends and media cheered them on. Once they turned into Creason Lot, the men dropped their bikes and rushed to their supporters. Still covered in sweat, they hugged mothers, fathers and grandparents who were congratulating them on all that they have accomplished so far.
Along the way, the group stopped in towns and cities, setting up special events to explain the risks and effects of Alzheimer’s disease while also raising donations for continual research for the disease.
“I’m doing this not only for myself but for all the people around me and all the people that will be affected by Alzheimer’s as well,” Tanner Redmon, a WKU junior and team member, told the Herald.
