It’s not every day that Kunkletown Thrift Store manager Donna Deihl gets to give a tour to WNEP-16 meteorologist Joe Snedeker and have him ask questions about the variety of items for sale in the hallways and various rooms.

But, her time came Thursday afternoon when Snedeker rolled in on his bicycle during the fourth day of his five-day Go Joe 28 bike ride to raise money for Saint Joseph’s Center in Dunmore.

“My volunteers and I have been sending him wacky pictures and trying to get him to come by here for Wham Cam,” said Deihl. “Recently, someone called the Eldred Township municipal building and asked if Joe could stop here on his bike ride. We were very excited.”

She started promoting his planned visit on the Kunkletown Thrift Store Facebook page and also via word-of-mouth.

A crowd started gathering on the sidewalks of the Eldred Township Community Center, which is home to the thrift store and West End Food Pantry, around 2 p.m. Thursday.

Twin sisters Patty Smith, of Palmerton, and Peggy Renig, of Bowmanstown, have been watching Snedeker on WNEP-16 for years.

“He’s our man,” Smith said excitedly.

The two wore matching red T-shirts with the Go Joe 28 logo on it and were waiting patiently for Snedeker to arrive.

“I can’t wait to see Joe. He’s so cool,” said 8-year-old Logan Schibilia, who attended with his great-grandparents Gene and Sandy Borger, and grandmother JoJo Schibilia.

Deihl, his other grandmother, was still inside the store helping customers.

Kunkletown Volunteer Fire Department arrived with two trucks, just in case they were needed, said fire chief Brian Stankovich.

“We are here to cheer on Joe and support the community,” Stankovich added.

On the grass in front of the community center, Kyle Frable held a handmade “Go Joe 28” sign, and watched with his mom and nieces as Snedeker peddled past the Eldred Township municipal building toward the community center parking lot.

The crowd got excited, the cellphone cameras came out and the cheers began as Snedeker arrived. He greeted the crowd, took some photos with everyone and then asked Deihl for a tour — mainly because he wanted to catch his breath and get inside where there was air conditioning, he casually joked.

“This is great. Look at all these items. Where do they all come from,” Snedeker asked as he followed her through the hallways and rooms.

Deihl explained they are items that the community has donated for her and her volunteers to sell. She showed him tables of dishes and knickknacks, racks of clothing and dresses and kids’ toys.

When they returned outside, Deihl gave Snedeker and Tamara Hall, a director from Saint Joseph’s Center, a donation check for $1,572, representing the money that Kunkletown residents and others from the community had raised over the last couple weeks.

Snedeker will bicycle more than 500 miles around Northeastern PA in these five days, and make stops in various towns within WNEP-16’s viewing area.

“Today, we started in Gouldsboro. We had stops that included Tobyhanna, Cresco, Barrett Township, downtown Stroudsburg, American Legion Post 927 in Gilbert, Kunkletown, and we end in Jim Thorpe this evening,” said Jack Culkin, Snedeker’s sidekick for the week.

Culkin, who is traveling by car ahead of Snedeker, pulled in the community center parking lot and introduced himself to the crowd, saying “Joe is on his way” and answering a slew of questions from the crowd.

He’ll stop in Tamaqua and parts of Schuylkill County Friday, ending his journey as the St. Joseph’s Center Festival Telethon begins around 4 p.m. on the campus of Marywood University.

“This is such a great cause. There was a wonderful turnout here today,” said Sandy Borger, as Snedeker and his entourage were getting ready to hit the road for Palmerton and then up to Jim Thorpe.

For more information: www.stjosephscenter.org.