It was a day of coming together for a good cause.

On Wednesday, hundreds of residents from around the area gathered outside Narrow Valley Sportsplex in Nesquehoning to welcome WNEP meteorologist Joe Snedeker on his next leg of Go Joe 27, a bicycle fundraiser he completes to raise money for the St. Joseph’s Center in Scranton. The center serves people who are diagnosed with intellectual disability and those who seek pregnancy support, adoption assistance, outpatient therapy or medical day care services.

As the crowd waited for Snedeker’s arrival, over a dozen organizations provided food stands, activities and information about what is available in the area.

Kathryn “Cookie” Moyer, an employee with Mauch Chunk Trust, donned her own inflatable creation, with balloons stuffed in bags around her. Others wore inflatable costumes or in honor of the fundraiser’s theme “Year of the Inflatable.”

When all was said and done, Nesquehoning borough, as well as Orioles Nest 183 of Lehighton, handed two large checks totaling $10,840 for the St. Joseph’s Center.

Abbie Guardiani, a Nesquehoning native who helped with the fundraisers for the donation, was thrilled to see the community come together for this cause.

“It means everything,” she said. “It shows what a caring, giving community Nesquehoning is. A population of 3,000 and we come up with $8,840. To give to the St. Joseph’s Center, to give to the people who need long-term care, it’s a wonderful thing. I don’t know that there is a better feeling.”

Guardiani added that this was Snedeker’s year stopping at the borough during Go Joe.

“I think he was surprised at our presentation last year,” she said, noting that the borough presented Snedeker with a check for just over $4,000.

Keith Muffley, president of the Orioles Nest 183, also had a $2,000 check for St. Joseph’s Center from members of the organization.

“It’s a great organization,” Muffley said, noting that the money raised was through the 1,200 members.

He said that this included from breakfasts the organization had to other fundraiser events.

“Every little bit counts,” Muffley said. “Last year, we gave $1,000. This year, we wanted to do a little more. Hopefully next year, we could do a little more.”