Seven-year-old Madelyn Snare was full of questions.

Could she use the ironing board to set up a stand to ask people for donations? Could she put a bucket out on the front porch to collect some money?

How does she spell Ronald McDonald for her fundraising project sign?

Jessica Georg, 40, of Springettsbury Township, finally pieced together what her daughter was asking to do.

Madelyn had started her own fundraising project to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Central PA, which serves out-of-town families whose critically ill children are being treated at Penn State Children's Hospital in Hershey.

Madelyn is a first-grade student at Stony Brook Elementary School, where

Madelyn Snare, 7, of Springettsbury Township, is collecting money for the Ronald McDonald House, starting with $1.36 of her own money. She has raised nearly $2,000 in donations since March and has been invited to visit the Ronald McDonald House in Hershey to deliver the money and take a tour. (John A. Pavoncello photo)
she has collected a lot of her dollars and cents from students and teachers.

"Over the weekend I call people, and I say, 'Do you mind giving me money for the Ronald McDonald House?'" she said. "I want as much (money) as I can get."

Georg also set up a "Madelyn's Ronald McDonald House Fundraiser" page on Facebook, where people can message her mother to make donations.

Georg said her daughter started the fundraising project March 28 and plans to finish Friday. At a concert, Madelyn heard a family talk about their son's stay at the Ronald McDonald House and wanted to help. Madelyn is on pace to collect $2,000 by the finish date, said Georg, 42, of Springettsbury Township.

"I hope that (Madelyn) has some sense of the impact that she's making so much so that she maintains that spirit of generosity," said Georg, who teaches art at Central York

High School. "I would just love to see that spirit grow."

The funds will be turned over to the Ronald McDonald House at 9 a.m. June 12, when Madelyn, her mother and several other family members visit the facility for a tour.

Debra Barry, Ronald McDonald House's marketing/communications director, said the money will be used for operating expenses.

"We can use some of it to pay utilities, so (Madelyn's efforts) are keeping the light burning bright for all the families," Barry said. "I cannot remember anybody this young who has been able to fund raise weeks on end to raise this amount of money."

Georg said Madelyn has been so committed to the fundraising project that when Madelyn sold her bike online for $12.13, she added the sale money to the Ronald McDonald House rather than using it toward getting a new bike. Also, Madelyn and her 5-year-old sister, Linden, took money -- totaling $1.36 -- from their piggy banks to get the fundraising project started in March, their mother said.

"Even the babysitter gave Madelyn a check," Georg said with a laugh.

If you go: To help Madelyn Snare raise money to benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Central PA, visit "Madelyn's Ronald McDonald House Fundraiser" page on Facebook to message her mother, Jessica Georg. The website address is www.facebook.com/madelynsronaldmcdonaldhouse.

--Reach Eyana Adah McMillan at 505-5438 or emcmillan@yorkdispatch.com.