Cambria County Friar prepares for 14th annual charity ride

LORETTO, Pa. (WTAJ) — A local Franciscan brother at St. Francis University prepares to embark on a bicycle journey through Pennsylvania and New Jersey this weekend to raise money for the poor.

Brother Shamus McGrenra has done a charity bike ride across the country for 13 years. His contributions and donations go through the Dorothy Day Center which assists those who need help in the Loretto area with food and clothing pantries.

You can learn more about the Dorothy Day Outreach Center and the services they provide here .

The #GoBroShamus Charity Bike Ride has made stops in Sarasota, Fla., and took him on a journey starting in Cincinnati, Ohio, and finishing in Cleveland, Ohio. Through his travels, the fundraiser has received $833,000 to benefit the poor in our area.

The idea started in 2012 when McGrenra was out to lunch with Brother Martin Zatsick. There they decided to combine the gospel message and McGrenra’s love for bicycling. That’s how the charity ride got its start.

After meeting with some individuals that he has helped on his journeys, seeing the joy that he gives to each person is enough motivation to keep him going at the age of 77 years old.

“This lady with two young children came in, and they were pretty poor,” McGrenra said. “And Marty is gracious as he was. I brought him down to the clothing area, and the smile on those children, it inspired me. It absolutely inspired me to do more.”

The charity bike ride starts September 14 in Lambertville, Penn. The schedule goes as follows:

• Sept. 14: Lambertville, NJ to Frenchtown, NJ (32 miles)
• Sept. 15: Lambertville, NJ to Ewing, NJ (26 miles)
• Sept. 21: Freehold, NJ to Atlantic Highlands, NJ (20 miles)
• Sept. 22: Atlantic Highlands, NJ to Freehold, NJ (20 Miles)

The public is allowed to join Brother Shamus on his expedition at any point of his ride. He asks for support by either joining the ride, using #GoBroShamus on social media or donating to the cause through the St. Francis website .

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