Monday morning stranger walked into The Cowley County Reporter office and introduced himself as Rudy Stolfer Jr from Washington, Pennsylvania.

Rudy has been on a Cross Country Peace Walk since Thanksgiving Day 1996 when he left Washington, D.C. By May 3, he will have been on the road 18 months. He pulls a coffin (made of cardboard) with him every step of the way. Rudy carries all of his belongings in the box and on the outside is written various words indicating the purpose of his mission which is to promote peace. This peace he speaks of is not necessarily among nations, although it is included, but peace in the hearts and lives of men and peace with our fellowman.

During his travels various groups of people walk with him a short distance, sometimes a mile or two and some up to several days or weeks. Today he was walking alone.

People along the way have been good to him and have offered him food and a place to rest, sometimes just a drink of cold water. He appreciates every act of kindness extended to him.

He stated he had attended services at the First Baptist Church in Borden Sunday evening, and was an overnight guest in the church He appreciated the shelter and use of the facilities, and was rested to continue his walk.

Rudy, an ex-Marine, and five others started west with the premise of being on the west coast by July of 1997. Their first cart was hit by a car and the last of the five men had both legs broken in the accident.

Four friends from Kansas City and several others met in Oklahoma City when the memorial was held for the bombing victims. They marched around the building 168 times, one time for each of the 168 victims, as part of a prayer vigil, which began at 3 a.m. in the morning.

The road hasn't always been Rudy's home, he worked for the railroad for 16 years, but quit 19 months short of retirement to work for Green Peace.

While in Kansas he averages about 20 miles a day, and by the time he reaches the Missouri border he will have walked 5,000 miles. He especially likes to travel on Hwy 160, because it doesn't seem to be as busy as Hwy.54 and gives him an opportunity to meet more of the rural people.

His message to America continues to be "Wake up, look up, we need to refocus our priorities and take on some responsibility for ourselves."

On Labor Day weekend he plans to be in Lafayette Park & 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. where he will join others in a peaceful demonstration. They will distribute flyers and wage peace, not war, across the country. 10,000 drummers will march around the White House in hopes of calling attention to a need to change our focus, thereby effecting a change for the better in our world.