TWO GEORGIA SIGEPS AIM TO RAISE $150,000 BY BIKING ALONG THE EAST COAST

By JJ Kowalski, VCU '12

Two SigEps from the University of Georgia are preparing for a 1,400 mile bike ride across the East Coast this summer in hopes of raising money and awareness for childhood cancer research and the Rally Foundation.

Zach Jones, ’13, and Luke Mosley, ’12, are making the trip to fundraise for the nonprofit organization that has donated nearly $2.2 million to hospitals, doctors and families since being founded five years ago by the family of another Georgia Delta brother, Russ Crowe, ‘13.

Mosley, who plans on going to medical school next year, is passionate about pediatrics and is interested in going into pediatric oncology.

“It just seemed like a natural thing to do,” said Mosley. “Both of us are really excited to spend time with the kids along the way and hang out with them and let them have fun in the midst of all the treatments and time in the hospital.”

Dean Crowe, one of the founding parents of the Rally Foundation, approached Mosley last semester to find out if he would be interested in volunteering. Shortly after, Mosley asked Jones to join him. Jones’ experience in SigEp helped get him excited about the idea of biking for charity.

“SigEp has been invaluable to Luke and me,” said Jones, who spent last summer in North Africa doing mission work with a Christian organization, Café 1040. “Service is a huge part of what SigEp is about. This ride just fits right along with everything we have been told from day one. We’re not going to just serve and love one another, but also the community around us.”

SigEp brothers helped raised nearly $2,000 for that mission trip, and Jones and Mosley hope that brothers from all over will help support this cause. They aim to raise $150,000 by the completion of their trip, and much of their inspiration has come from the patients they have already gotten to know, Nolan and Lindsay.

“You can spout off all the statistics you want, but when you see a kid who is 9 years old, on his second treatment for relapse and you see his joy and the strength of the family behind him, it forces you to look at the fragility of life,” said Jones. “It puts a fire in my belly knowing I’m 21 and in college and my life is completely different and being inspired by him.”

While biking to these hospitals and spending time with the children is inspirational and encouraging, the real difference made will be the amount of money raised.

“We hope [the stories] inspire people to be generous and provide monetary donations because that is what is going to make a difference. It’s all going to research,” said Mosley. “That’s the only way we’ll be able to find a cure at all. We hope people rally with these kids and with us to go towards that future where childhood cancer is a thing of the past.”

The duo encourages others to join them for a leg of the ride, whether it is a full 60 miles or just five. Brothers can also support them by donating money directly to the cause or buying a t-shirt or jersey which will be for sale soon.

They will stop in Charlotte, N.C., Richmond, Va., Washington, Philadelphia, New York and Rochester, N.Y., visiting children battling cancer in hospitals and participating in other events in those cities. They will start in Buffalo on May 17 and finish in Atlanta on June 10.

“We hope everyone will get behind it with us and rally across America,” said Mosley.

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