FORTY FORT, Pa. — It was a well-deserved lunch break for this group of cyclists and runners making their way across the country to raise money for young adults with cancer.
They need all the sustenance they can get for the 49-day, 4,500-mile trek from Baltimore to San Francisco.
"I didn't know how hilly Pennsylvania was!" laughed Maddie Ward, who is participating in the 4K for Cancer as a runner, relay-style. "It's a little unexpected, but we're rolling with it."
"We're literally rolling with it," joked Parker Johnson, who's making the trek on a bike.
Fortunately, a stop in Forty Fort did just the trick. Several businesses here were ready to pitch in.
The Canning House donated sandwiches.
"I mean, last year was a tough year for restaurants. The community gave back to us, so it's our turn to give back to the community," said Jesse Schaffer, director of operations for the Scalleat Hospitality Group, which owns The Canning House.
The Posh Pretzel donated some tasty treats.
"They're doing so much for everybody around here, so why can't we give a little bit to them too? So to see their smiles and the journey that they're doing, we think is amazing," said owner Alle Stefanides.
And Balance Yoga provided the group with a place to sleep for the night.
"We're big fans of supporting people who are doing good things within the community," said owner Corinne Farrell. "And we have this wonderful space available, and lots of room on the floor, and they were very nice to be willing to sleep on the floor! So we're glad to be able to give them the showers and the room to rest."
Forty Fort is just one of almost 40 different stops the group will make over the course of their trip. But they say that the support they receive at each place makes a world of difference.
"It's definitely a link to the community, and it's so meaningful. The 4k for Cancer program is 100% donation-based so it allows us to keep the funds that they're fundraising," said Julia Giard, external relations coordinator for The Ulman Foundation, which hosts the 4k for Cancer each summer.
"It means so much to us that people are willing to do that for strangers," said Maddie Ward.
After the thousands of miles are logged and the thousands of dollars are raised, these business owners in Forty Fort will know they played a part in making it all happen.