Welcome to my blog. Follow me as I cycle across the country on the Journey of Hope for people with disabilities.

I will be updating almost daily so check back for new posts, pictures and videos.

MATTHEW PROCTOR
Texas A&M University
Delta Omega Chapter

Major: Business Marketing

Home Town: Dallas, Texas

First and foremost, if you have made it to this page, I want to thank you for coming this far—you are already investing your time into our cause. My name is Matt Proctor and on March 2nd, 2009, I received some of the most important news I’ve had in quite some time: I had been selected to ride in the Pi Kappa Phi Journey of Hope; a 4,000 mile, life-altering bike ride across the country for Push America (the Pi Kappa Phi National Philanthropy). It reminded me of that feeling you get when you open a college acceptance letter. I had been praying incessantly, and thank you God, it was His will to present me the opportunity to take part in such a challenge.

I’ll try and make this short, but if I know myself, that’s a hard thing to do with something I feel this passionate about. I’ll tell you a little about myself, my experiences, and the Journey of Hope so that, hopefully, you will get to know me and how we, together can choose to get involved in an event that stands at the pinnacle of human friendship. I ask that if you can set aside only a small amount of time, read this in its entirety for the following reason. During the course of my experience with the Journey of Hope, I will be updating a blog, putting up pictures and emailing out updates. This is my personal gift back to you. If after all these words, you feel that this is a noble enough cause, I will give you the largest gift I can gather: Not only will you receiving the fruit of your generosity knowing the thousands of lives you will raise up, but I will also hand you a window into this life changing experience to see each of the lives you have touched and friends you will have made all over the country through your charity. If you enjoy what you read here—if it brings some small amount of joy, a crack of a smile, or maybe even a good laugh—I can assure you that your help to make this a possible venture for us will bring you much, much more.

Beginning in June, the Journey of Hope is a three team, 80 man bike ride from San Francisco across the entire country, ending in our nation’s capitol in mid-August. During our two month voyage, not only does our ride raise awareness, but we stop almost every day in a new town to do what we like to call Friendship Visits. We stop in at centers and events for people with disabilities to mentor, entertain, and overall just spend time with those that just might need a friend. We speak with locals about our cause and what they can do to help within their own community. I can’t begin to describe the stories from my fellow fraternity brothers who have made this Journey; stories of people waiting all year for this one event. Waiting for my cause, and hopefully now yours as well, to ride through their city and bring with it your strength and your spirit to their sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers, spouse, and friends.

If you have ever had the pleasure of meeting a person with a disability, I am sure you have been touched some way or another. Most live everyday with triumph as they have the choice to succumb to their disability but amazingly overcome it. These choices have been made clear to me in most part by the one girl to whom I am dedicating my ride: Betsy Helbing.

Click Here to read Betsy's Story.

So here’s where I say something like, “Donate now,” or “Every cent counts!” But I feel saying that alone is so detached. I am seeking support. I don’t care if that is in the form of money, a water bottle, a pair of socks, a hug, or an email. You’re support is all I need. Now I must say, I do have to collect $6,000 to participate in the Journey of Hope. Every cent of that goes straight to Push America which funds many of the centers for people with disabilities we will be visiting this summer. As a college student I don’t have that wad of cash hanging out in my room and a pair of socks is something I think I can get on my own. However, all I ask for is as much support as you can manage to contribute to my team, my philanthropy, and these people we are trying to help all across the country. If all you can donate is a dollar, then thank you because you supported me as best you can. I trust in God’s plan for me, and if I am supposed to go I will. That doesn’t mean I am complacently sitting back and waiting for a miracle, but I don’t feel the need to pressure you into financially supporting me in this cause. When talking semantics, Push America accepts any donation amount and anything over $25 is tax deductable. Anything that is a non monetary donation cannot be accepted by Push America, however I have put a rough list of things I will have to purchase to survive on this strip (biking shorts, bike shoes, a helmet, maybe an oxygen tank…etc.) here. So, if by now you would like to lend your support monetarily, you can go ahead and click here. If not, email me. I would love to talk to you more about my Journey with Push America.

If you have any questions at all: “What do you do in your spare time?”—“What is your fraternity’s chapter like?”—“What number, 1 through 10, am I thinking of?” just email me at mtproctor@neo.tamu.edu and I should get back to you almost immediately.

Thank you again. Thank you from the deepest part of me that most people don’t see. We will make the message of Push America spread through the nation and greatly impact the lives of thousands of people. And thank you in advance from each and every one of those people, I know they would like for me to tell you that.

Sincerely, Matthew Proctor

P.S. Was your number 7?

My Bike

2006 Giant OCR Composite Limited