Featured Alumnus: Jon Manafort '19 | Avon Old Farms News | About Us | Avon Old Farms

Riding over thousands of miles of pavement, through hailstorms and heatwaves, past flat farmlands and winding mountain roads, all in a pack of hundreds of motorcycles—this is the situation that Jon Manafort ’19 will find himself in less than a month from now. It might sound a bit crazy until you learn his reasons for doing it.

On May 1, Manafort will leave behind his picturesque Old Saybrook marina setting and head to Sonoma, Calif. to participate in the 2026 Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America. NASCAR driver Kyle Petty started the charity ride in 1995 as a way to combine his passion for helping others with his love of motorcycles. Since then, nearly 10,000 riders have logged more than 13.3 million cumulative motorcycle miles and raised more than $23 million for various children’s charities. The primary charity for the last 20 years has been Victory Junction; a summer camp facility designed for kids living with complex medical and physical needs founded by Petty in honor of his late son.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of that first ride, and also marks the 30th year of participation for the Manafort family. “My grandpa and his brother came across a flyer about Kyle Petty trying to organize this event,” Manafort explains. “They were fans of his and loved the charity aspect as well, so they decided to do it.”

Every year since, multiple members of his family have joined the pack of riders. They begin each day with a quick breakfast before loading their luggage onto a shared trailer and hitting the road, making infrequent stops only for gas and meals. They spend each night in a predetermined hotel before doing it all over again the next day, rain, hail, or shine. “You’re all in it together. The mentality is you just have to keep riding regardless of what the day throws at you.” The group does make exceptions, however. When there are fans along the route, or former Victory Junction campers, the group will always stop and make time. “You get to meet these kids and hear their stories from camp,” shares Manafort. “That part is special.”

The event is open to anyone who wants to participate, with many NASCAR drivers and other notable figures often among the ranks. “Anyone who’s crazy enough to ride a bike for 2,000 to 3,000 miles in one week,” Manafort says. He has even made AOF connections along the way. Last year, he met a mom whose child was starting the process of applying to Avon. Last month, he joined them on an admissions tour on campus. 

This will be his third year participating, and the preparation is under way. “I’ve been going on some longer rides just to get the feel of it again.” The exact routes change with each year, and this year will be his longest ride; from Sonoma, Calif. to Charlotte, N.C. in just nine days.

For Manafort, his participation is inspired by more than just the charity aspect. His grandfather participated in every ride for 28 years until he was physically unable to. He passed away just a few months after missing his first ever charity ride in 2023. “He’d be upset with us if we stopped doing it. It’s really for the kids, but it’s also become our way to honor him. He was someone I looked up to immensely. I was named after him, so I promised Kyle and his wife last year that they would continue to have a Jon Manafort on every ride since the beginning.”

Manafort’s connection to his namesake extends into his career as well. One of his first jobs growing up was working at his grandfather’s marina, and it sparked an interest. “I knew I wanted to be in this business, so in college I focused on learning how to grow it, creating a business plan centered around marina acquisitions, development, and management,” Manafort shares. “After college, I got to work with my grandfather every day for two years. I learned quite a bit from him from a business perspective, but also from a personal perspective.” In 2024, he officially followed his grandfather’s footsteps, taking over his management position.

Alongside the influence of his grandfather, Manafort’s time at Avon also prepared him for his future career. “You learn at Avon how to talk with people that are older than you. Hanging with the faculty there, you get close enough to learn who they are as people, and it makes you better at relating to others. I’m better at my job because I learned how to be more personable and communicate better.” It also helps when members of the Avon community are his customers, which he says happens quite often.

Manafort arrived at Avon in the fall of 2016 as a quiet, shy kid. His older brother had gone to Loomis Chaffee, but he knew he wanted to create his own path. He considered a few schools, and Avon stood out. “We toured there and I just fell in love with the place,” he says, adding that he never regretted his decision. “Avon is truly a place unlike anywhere else. The relationships you make with other students and the faculty… so many of my friends today are the ones I made at Avon.” 

In his four years at Avon, Manafort was involved all over campus. He played or managed on a sports team in every season. He was a participant with the Nimrod club, helping construct the new Nimrod cabin. His junior year, he tried out a new sport for the first time, joining the fourths hockey team. “My friends and I said ‘you know what? We go to Avon. We should learn how to play hockey.’ We didn’t even know how to skate, but it created some of the fondest memories I had while I was there.”

By the time he graduated, the shy kid had fully come out of his shell, and he noticed a difference when he got to college at the University of Tampa. “When you go to Avon you learn what good people are like and you get used to interacting with guys who have a good head on their shoulders. You have to do some more seeking-out to find those people after you leave.”

This school year, he participated in Alumni Career Day, returning to campus to share his insights with current seniors. He also spoke to the Entrepreneurial Club during one of their meetings. He even put his fourths hockey skills to use and participated in the most recent Alumni Hockey Game as a way to honor John T. Gardner. “I’ve been trying to give back to the school in ways that I can. It’s a special place to me.”

For more information about the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America and the charities involved, please click here to visit their website.

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