DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. — It was July 29 when Jeff Bekos started his cross-country journey to visit 26 Ronald McDonald House Charity Chapters.
Tuesday marked stop number 21 in Dauphin County, where staff greeted the 65-year-old with cheers and applause.
The longtime cyclist has pedaled cross-country for more than two months and is nearing the end of his 4,600-mile-long journey.
“We started the ride on July 29th in Orange County, California and we’re going to finish next Monday in Philadelphia in time to celebrate the 50th anniversary,” Bekos said.
That anniversary is for Ronald McDonald House Charities.
It’s a group that inspired Bekos to start his own nonprofit, One Dad’s Mission.
“What inspired us to do this and our commitment to this amazing charity is the support and love that we received during the most horrible time in our lives,” Bekos said.
In 2013, his daughter Haley was treated at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for a rare disease.
He and his wife, Liz Bekos, spent 254 days at the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald house. It became their home away from home.
“We’re all humans and we all have journeys in life and we all just have to help each other,” Bekos said.
And helping he is.
“To date, I think I’ve raised about $678,000.”
Bekos' efforts aren’t without recognition.
“Not being able to get out in front of everybody would be detrimental to our ability to share our mission and get support,” said Amy Leonard with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Pennsylvania.
Bekos’ visit did come at the last minute, but he didn’t show up empty-handed.
“His original plans of stopping at another stop in Pennsylvania fell through for him at the last minute after years of planning and we were able to put things together for him to stop here in Hershey,” Leonard said.
Bekos left for Washington D.C. Tuesday afternoon and plans to visit Baltimore on Saturday before he ends his ride in Philadelphia next week.
Ronald McDonald House Charities continues to welcome donations, including monetary, food and volunteers.
