Different cause, another walk.
Don Stevenson, Auburn’s tireless ultra-walker, is returning to the trail, this time for the Spina Bifida Association of Washington State.
Stevenson’s 360-mile awareness walk officially will begin at 8 a.m. Monday from City Hall. Mayor Pete Lewis and other guests will be on hand for the ceremony.
Stevenson plans to walk 30 miles a day, following the Interurban Trail – from Pacific to Renton and back each day.
He plans to complete the walk on Feb. 13, a day before Valentine’s Day.
“I just felt this is the right walk to do at the right time,” said Stevenson, 73, a former Marine, teacher, pastor and delivery truck driver who has walked for many charities over the past 10 years. “This is my valentine to the people with spina bifida.”
Stevenson – the “Pacin’ Parson” – intends to raise funds and help educate others about spina bifida, a permanently disabling birth defect. It affects approximately one out of every 1,600 newborn babies. However, about 70 percent of spina bifida births can be prevented if pregnant women include sources of folic acid in their daily diets, according to physicians.
Stevenson was inspired to do the walk after meeting a wheelchair-bound Brian Knowles at a community function.
“He’s a pretty neat guy,” Stevenson said. “He has a pretty good sense of humor. I tease him about his wheels.”
Knowles, 50, is managing just fine these days with the help of his wife, Judy. He previously worked as reader for the Auburn Teleservice for Social Security before becoming disabled.
News of Stevenson’s walk brought a smile to Knowles.
“I was elated. I was just pleased that he would do this,” he said. “Basically the walk is a way to tell the community that we exist, that we are here and we want to help those who have it.”
Stevenson has logged approximately 40,000 miles for various charities since 1998. He recently finished a 13,000-mile walk – from Seattle to New York City – for the Huntington’s Disease Society of America and for a friend affected by the disorder.
For more information, call 800-289-3702 or 253-887-0888 or visit www.sbaws.org or www.pacinparson.org.
SBAWS meets
Spina Bifida Association of Washington State, South King/North Pierce Counties Cluster: 7-8:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month. Organization assists families with spina bifida, educates the public, and sponsors fundraisers. All are welcome. Zion Lutheran Church, 1350 17th St. SE., Auburn. 253-887-0888 or crazy5720003@yahoo.com.
