The 'Pacin' Parson' treks through Ohio

Stevenson is walking to all of Ohio's 88 county seats on behalf of the ACS.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Donald L. Stevenson, known as the "Pacin' Parson," who walks thousands of miles each year to raise awareness for various charities, arrived here late Monday afternoon.
Stevenson, 70, of Auburn, Wash., is walking to all 88 county seats in Ohio this summer and early fall, about 3,000 miles, to benefit the American Cancer Society. On Tuesday, he is scheduled to walk from Youngstown to Warren, the Trumbull County seat.
He walks 30 miles a day Monday through Saturday, and rests on Sunday, said his wife, Loretta. Mrs. Stevenson usually drives his support vehicle, but was unable to this year. As a result, Stevenson walks 15 miles out from his vehicle and 15 miles back, to get his 30 miles, and then drives to the appropriate location 30 miles down the road.
Ohio ties
Stevenson came to Ohio this year and started in Coshocton County on June 5 because that is where he met Regis Shivers of that county, who came out to walk with him for a short distance when he (Stevenson) was walking from Seattle to New York City in 2001 for multiple sclerosis. Shivers, to whom Stevenson dedicated his Ohio walk, is a cancer survivor who had his voice box removed.
Stevenson has several other ties to Ohio. He was born in Columbus, received his high school diploma and bachelor of theology degree from God's Bible School and Missionary Training Home in Cincinnati, and became pastor of his first church in Newark.
Stevenson, a former Marine and a retired truck driver for Daigold Dairy in Washington, has walked for a major charity every year since 1998. Stevenson says he walks because he has been blessed with a healthy body, and the Lord called him to walk for people less fortunate.
Stevenson's longest walk was 8,000 miles in 2002, in which he did 30 miles a day in a park near his home. He plans to walk 10,000 miles in 2007 for Huntington's Disease. His longest road walk was from Tijuana, Mexico, to Anchorage, Alaska, in 2002.
Mrs. Stevenson said her husband hopes people will be motivated by his effort and contribute to the American Cancer Society.
Checks should be made payable to the American Cancer Society and sent to the American Cancer Society, 525 N. Broad St., Canfield 44406. Information on how to donate on-line can be found at the Web site www.cancer.org.
alcorn@vindy.com