LEXINGTON, Ky --- This is the 7th year in a row that fraternity brothers from Western Kentucky University’s Phi Gamma Delta chapter, also known as FIJI, have decided to fight Alzheimer’s, one mile at a time.

  • This WKU fraternity created Bike4Alz, which is a continuation of Fiji's Across America in 2010
  • In 2010, the first coast to coast ride raised over $56,000 for Alzheimer's research. The 2019 goal is $110,000
  • Learn more about Bike4Alz and also find out details on how you can donate, by clicking here

“We started in San Fransisco, May 17th, and it’s about a 3600 mile journey. So it takes up a little over 2 months. That’s a large part of our summer, but glad to do it and i’ve enjoyed it so far, for sure. It’s been awesome,” says WKU student Jacob Howard.

Howard says not only is the cycling trip a great way to travel through parts of the country but he says the journey for him, has been a life-changing experience.

“It’s just amazing how many people are related to the disease and I do have a personal connection to the disease as well. It was my great-grandfather and so it's kind of why I’m doing the ride, but you know, it also fuels me even more to realize that have problems with this disease or relations to it, so it’s why we do, what we do everyday,” adds Howard

Howard admits before this 3600 mile, 11 state trek, he hadn’t even owned a bike in about ten years and didn’t even train before signing up for the coast to coast journey, but he says none of that, would keep him from riding, to raise awareness for a cure. 

“You definitely hit that fatigue wall and you’re going, man, this is just brutal, I’m ready to get off. But, you know, if you really remember what we’re doing this for, they are people out here going through so much more than we are. You kinda think about that, hit that wall, and then bounce right off and you’re ready to go right back again, so that’s what kinda fuels us,” explains Howard

As of late Tuesday evening, the biking students from WKU have raised more than $50,000 dollars for Alzheimer’s disease research.