Colorado State and University of Colorado Pi Kappa Phi chapters held their annual Region Ride on Sunday, an approximately 50-mile bike ride to raise money for people with disabilities.

The bikers started at 8:30 a.m. on a route that began at Elks Park in Boulder, Colorado and ended at the Fort Collins Pi Kappa Phi fraternity house.

Participants mostly consisted of fraternity members, according to Jake Bair, a business administration junior and current historian for the Zeta Phi chapter, responsible for organizing this year’s Region Ride. But, the ride was open to the public.

Bair took on the job as a way to participate in helping the disabled.

“My mother works with special education preschoolers, so she always taught me the value in helping people,” Bair said.

Pi Kappa Phi raised money by charging riders $25 to participate and $5 for an after-trip barbecue.

According to Ashton Ondra, a computer science senior and vice archon for the Zeta Phi chapter of Pi Kappa Phi, the chapter raised $2,300 in fall of 2013 for The Ability Experience, previously called Push America.

The Ability Experience is Pi Kappa Phi’s philanthropy program. It utilizes cycling and construction to provide service and raise money for people with disabilities.

CSU and CU chapters team up for the ride every year, rallying about 50 participants.

“My favorite part of the event is definitely getting to see our members work side by side with the members from Boulder,” said Ondra. “Obviously CSU and CU have a pretty fierce rivalry, but that all goes out the window for us as not only are we one big family of brothers, but we also all care on a deep, personal level for the philanthropy that helps define our national organization.”

The Region Ride is a ‘nod’ towards the fraternity’s national biking event, their annual Journey of Hope. This cross-country biking event requires riders to raise a minimum of $5,500 in donations, according to Ondra.

Collegian Reporter Luke Hyce can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @Luke_hyce.