”When you visit a Ronald McDonald house and see kids facing life threatening illnesses and their families are struggling financially just to be able to stay with them, you just have to do something”- Dave Schaub

Ronald McDonald House provides a “home away from home” for families to stay with their sick children. They charge a nominal $10 fee per night for those families who can afford to pay, but no one is ever turned away. Most people seem to believe that McDonalds corporations funds and supports each house. In truth, Mc Donald’s corporation provides 3% of the necessary funding, while room fees cover a small 2% leaving the house to raise the remaining 95% on their own.

Schaub who owns a meat market at Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, loves to drive his car and loves a challenge. He combined the two when he came up with the idea to do the drive. “I grew up in the Bay Area and love it here. This was a chance to involve the Bay Area as well as the classic car community, have some fun, and help the kids all at the same time,” he said. His 49 in 9 drive in September 2009 brought in $116,776k in donations with 100% going to Ronald McDonald House. He’s thrilled that so many people across the country have gotten involved and donated.

“I’m just the instrument, it’s all those folks out there who believed in me and this event that made it a success before, and they’ll make it a success this time, too,” he said.