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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 1998

ENID NEWS & EAGLE

Rudy Stolfer started his peace walk across the United States in November 1996 in Washington, D.C. and has walked more than 4,500 miles pulling a coffin behind him. Stolfer passed through Enid Tuesday on his journey.(Staff Photo by MICHAEL SCHUMACHER)

By JOE MEYER
News & Eagle Staff

Rudy Stolfer, 48, of Washington, Pa., has taken life one step at a time-- literally -- criss-crossing the United States on foot since November 1996.

Stolfer, who is walking on the Walt Root Quest for Peace, passed through Enid Tuesday afternoon carrying a cart that held a mock wooden coffin.  Walt Root stand for "We Are Living The Results Of Our Thoughts."

The coffin-- decorated with various slogans, stuffed animals and other gifts Stolfer has received from people he has met on his journey, --symbolizes the victims of all wars, whether through military campaigns, wars on the environment or wars on the poor, he said. An American flag with the peace symbol substituted for the 50 stars is attached to the cart.

The purpose of Stolfer's walk is to end all forms of war, he said.

"We have money for smart bombs, but not for school lunches and daycares for working moms," Stolfer said. "We've got satellites that can read a newspaper from 200 miles up, but high school graduates that can't read."

A button affixed to Stolfer's cap points out that every minute 30 children die of hunger and inadequate health care, while the world spends $1.7 million on war.

The only thing Stolfer is armed with on his mission of peace is a pocket-sized Gideon New Testament Bible. Stolfer says his belief in God has been strengthened during the journey.

"If you believe in the Lord, there's no fear in your life," Stolfer says.

He also wears a 'What would Jesus do?' bracelet he received while attending a New Mexico revival.

During his journey through the state, Stolfer attended a prayer vigil held in Oklahoma City the night before the third anniversary of the Murrah Building bombing, where participants walked around the bombing site 169 times in memorial of the 169 lives lost--one of those from a bombing survivor who later committed suicide as a result of the experience.

In a typical day, Stolfer may cover 15 to 25 miles. He has been set back on the walk several times by flat tires of the cart, but not by blisters on his feet.

"I cover more miles in a year than I used to when I trained for marathons," he said. "Time out here has no relevance."

Stolfer communicates with family and friends along the route by picking up mail and sending postcards at post offices located in larger-sized towns.

He sleeps wherever he can, sometimes camping in his tent, staying in shelters or with kind-hearted strangers and friends he meets on the trip.

Both of Stolfer's current pair of different sneakers he procured from the road during the peace walk. "It takes a long time to find a pair of size 12s on the highway," he said.

Stolfer and four other walkers initially left Washington D.C. The first coffin was destroyed in Alabama auto accident that injured one of his friends and fellow walkers. It was replaced by the coffin Stolfer now carries.

The walk's route across the country, designed to form an infinity symbol -- similar to a horizontal figure 8.

He began the eastward segment of his route July 13, 1997, in Oregon's Ochoco National Forest and has covered approximately 4,800 miles on foot to Enid. He is heading north toward Pond Creek and Kansas and expects to finish the approximate 6,000-mile peace walk by Labor Day in Washington, D.C.

Updates on the Walt Root Quest for Peace can be obtained by calling 1-800-557-4585.