3 minute read
The Ability Experience Update
2020. THRIVING DURING A PANDEMIC.
I remember March 2020. Pi Kappa Phi’s National Council met to discuss this thing called COVID-19 and what it meant for us and the fraternity. A group of students from The Ability Experience had just returned from Guatemala, spending a week supporting a school for children with disabilities. A few days later, I watched as the NBA, NHL and NCAA began to cancel games. Quickly, colleges across the country began sending students home, chapter events were canceled, and entire cities shut down.
I remember sitting with staff as they wrestled with the decision to cancel summer events. It was in that moment that The Ability Experience team demonstrated its resolve.
Resolve for our mission. Resolve to retain a sense of normalcy during these unprecedented times. And resolve to address the social isolation that people with disabilities faced more profoundly than ever.
So we pivoted. We found new ways to deliver the mission and kicked off a virtual Gear Up Florida. I was blown away by the powerful determination of this group to make good on its commitment to help and support people with disabilities.
Throughout the summer, Journey of Hope and Build America teams hosted virtual friendship visits across the nation. We had more than 314 friends of The Ability Experience ride, run, roll and walk to raise critical funds and awareness.
New online platforms emerged, opening opportunities for inclusive learning through panel discussions and podcasts. We launched Gaming for Inclusion—an interactive gaming program created to connect students and people with disabilities. And finally, we had a group of alumni and staff who cycled from North Carolina to Washington, D.C., to honor Jason Tirado and Todd Porterfield, two exemplary team members lost in 2000.
To come out of the pandemic in this position is truly astounding. Full credit goes to you, our donors, who made these shared experiences possible during the pandemic. Thank you!
Your support continues to make a lasting impact on the lives of all of those served by this resilient organization. Thank you for thinking big, for caring, for giving, and most of all, thank you for believing.
As we close the chapter on the pandemic, I am encouraged to know that this is only the beginning. With your continued trust and support, we can do so much more.
Russ Faulkner, Delta Psi (Texas - Arlington) Chairman, The Ability Experience
TODD J. PORTERFIELD
1977–2000
TODD PORTERFIELD, Alpha Delta (Washington), passed away on August 7, 2000. Todd was cycling with the Journey of Hope South team and was struck by a car in Lexington, North Carolina. Todd leaves a legacy of compassion, brotherhood, dedication and selfless giving. The Todd J. Porterfield Memorial Fund provides an annual grant to an organization that made the greatest impact on members along the Journey of Hope South route.
The 2020 Todd J. Porterfield Memorial Grant Recipient:
Holy Angels, Belmont, NC
Jason R. Tirado
1978–2000
JASON TIRADO, Zeta Epsilon (George Mason), passed away on April 30, 2000, from a fall during a hiking trip with friends in the North Carolina mountains. Jason was a Journey of Hope cyclist in 1999 and was spending the 2000 spring semester as Gear Up Florida project manager. He impacted the lives of hundreds during his time with The Ability Experience. The Jason R. Tirado Memorial Fund provides an annual grant to an organization that made the greatest impact on members along the Journey of Hope North route.
