Jona Kay Prindle’s goal was simple. Take her birthday trip bicycling through the Mojave Desert and raise enough money to adopt a room at our Ronald McDonald House near Scottish Rite.

An avid cyclist, Jona Kay decided to pedal it forward by asking friends and family members to pledge an amount per mile or per day. Her goal was $5,000. One hundred sixty-seven miles on her bike, Rocket, and five days later, she raised $7,595 during her November trip with Woman Tours.

She and her husband, Dick, have adopted a room and are donating the remaining $2,595 to our Adopt-a-Family Program to help provide 21 nights for a family who cannot afford to pay the requested family contribution.

“I grew up in Sandy Springs and remember the old House,” Jona Kay says of why she chose Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities. “Each year, my husband and I adopt a family through our church. This year, we decided to help Ronald McDonald House families.

“I can’t imagine being a parent and having to figure out the logistics of transportation, where to sleep and where to eat, when your child is sick,” Jona Kay says. “And, my first date with my husband was at a McDonald’s. I even remember what we ordered.”

Jona Kay’s longest ride during the trip was 41 miles. Her highest elevation was 3,500 feet with her maximum speed being 32.5 miles an hour. Favorite things about the trip include receiving notes of encouragement and the people she met along the way.

“The trip was amazing,” Jona Kay says, adding there were 11 women and 2 guides. “There were miles where I couldn’t see anyone behind or ahead of me. It truly is God’s country out there. The trip couldn’t have been more perfect.”