2014 Speaking Dates

2014 Library Programs - Five Million Steps: Thru-Hiking the AT

Geauga West Library in Chesterland on Wednesday, April 16 @ noon
Ellet Branch Library in Akron on Saturday, April 19 @ 2:00pm
Kent Free Library in Kent on Monday, April 21 @ 7:00pm
Hudson Library & Historical Society on Tuesday, April 22 @ 7:00pm
Ashland Public Library on Thursday, April 24 @ 6:30pm
Norwalk Public Library on Wednesday, April 30 @ 6:30pm
Huron Public Library on Tuesday, May 6 @ 6:30pm 
Avon Public Library on Monday, September 8 @ 6:30pm
Middlefield Library on Wednesday, September 10 @ 7:00pm
Willard Memorial Library on Thursday, September 11 @ 6:00pm
Amherst Public Library on Thursday, September 25 @ 7:00pm
North Olmsted Branch Library, Wednesday, October 8 @ 7:00pm
Doylestown Branch Library, Thursday, October 16 @ 6:00pm 

Fall Speaking Dates

Five Million Steps: Thru-Hiking the Appalachian Trail
LIBRARY DATES FOR APPALACHIAN TRAIL PROGRAM

SEPTEMBER 2013 --- (15 dates)

DATE                  TIME              LIBRARY                   LIBRARY  ADDRESS
Thurs., 9/5        7:00 PM        Beachwood             25501 Shaker Blvd.
Mon., 9/9         7:00 PM         South Euclid           4645 Mayfield Rd.
Wed., 9/11       7:00 PM         Green                        4046 Massillon Rd.
Thurs., 9/12     7:00 PM         Shaker Hts.            16500 Van Aken Blvd.
Mon., 9/16       7:00 PM         Kent                          312 W. Main St.
Tues., 9/17       7:00 PM         Avon Lake              32649 Electric Blvd.
Wed., 9/18       7:00 PM         Painesville               184 Phelps St.
Thurs., 9/19     6:30 PM         Richfield                  3761 S. Grant St.
Sat., 9/21         10:30 AM       Randolph                1639 State Route 44
Sat., 9/21         2:00 PM         Streetsboro              8990 Kirby Lane
Mon., 9/23       6:30 PM        Norton                     3930 S. Cleve-Mass. Rd.
Tues., 9/24       7:00 PM        Mentor                     8215 Mentor Avenue
Wed., 9/25       7:00 PM        Brunswick                3649 Center Rd.
Thurs., 9/26     7:00 PM        Lakewood                15425 Detroit Ave.
Sat.,    9/28       2:00 PM        Parma Hts.              6206 Pearl Rd.



OCTOBER 2013 --- (14 dates)

DATE                    TIME              LIBRARY                     LIBRARY  ADDRESS
Wed., 10/2         7:00 PM        Medina                      210 S. Broadway St.       
Sat.,    10/5         2:00 PM        N. Canton                 185 N. Main St.
Mon., 10/7         7:00 PM        Nordonia Hill           9458 Olde Eight Rd.
Tues., 10/8         10:00 AM     Bay Village                502 Cahoon Road
Wed., 10/9         6:30 PM        Mogadore                  144 S. Cleveland Ave.
Thurs., 10/10     7:00 PM         Perry                          3753 Main Street
Sat., 10/12          2:00 PM        Gates Mills                 1491 Chagrin River Rd.
Mon., 10/14       6:00 PM        Jackson (Massillon)  7487 Fulton Drive NW
Tues., 10/15       7:00 PM         Middleburg  Hts.    15600 E. Bagley Rd.
Thurs., 10/17      7:00 PM        Westlake                    27333 Center Ridge
Sat., 10/19          11:00 AM      Columbia                   13824 W. River Rd.
Tues., 10/22       7:00 PM        Wadsworth               132 Broad Street
Wed., 10/23       7:00 PM        Madison                     6111 Middle Ridge Rd.
Tues., 10/29       6:30 PM        Uniontown (Lake)   11955 Market Ave. N

November 2013 --- (2 dates)

Mon., 11/18      7:00 PM         North Royalton          5071 Wallings Rd.
Mon., 11/25      7:00 PM          Stow-Munroe Falls   3512 Darrow Rd.

I hope to see you this fall!  Feel free to contact me if you need more information.

June Speaking Dates

YOU'RE INVITED TO MY APPALACHIAN TRAIL PROGRAM

You are invited to attend a program about my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail (AT) at 31 libraries this year.  I will recount details of my thru-hike of the AT in 2011 from Georgia to Maine, a distance of 2,181 miles. During each PowerPoint program, I will also display my gear, show photos of the trek, and answer questions.  At the conclusion of each program, my book, Five Million Steps on a Journey of Hope: Thru-Hiking the Appalachian Trail, will be available for sale for $15.  I will sign copies of my book for those interested.

Four of those library programs are in June, which are listed below.  Most of the library programs will be in September and October.  Those fall dates will be listed on this site in early August.

                  JUNE 2013 AT PROGRAMS at LIBRARIES 
 Tues., 6/4 @ 7 PM    ---Avon Library,37485 Harvest Drive, Avon

Wed., 6/5 @ 7 PM    --- Solon Library, 34215 Portz Pkwy, Solon

Thurs., 6/6 @ 7 PM   --- Brook Park, 6155 Engle Road, Brook Park

Mon., 6/17 @ 7 PM  --- Parma South, 7335 Ridge Road, Parma

Hope to see you there!

Update

Is there life after thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail?

I want to give you a brief update on my life since completing the Appalachian Trail last September. I was able to raise thousands of dollars for Alzheimer's Association, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Society for Melanoma Research thanks to pledges from over 300 people.  I have completely recovered from my broken ankle suffered in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.  Since last October, I have enjoyed speaking before many groups and organizations about my hike.  There are many more presentations scheduled through 2012.  It is fun to reflect back on the hike and share my photos.  Ever since I started the hike many people have encouraged me to write a book about my AT adventure.  Eventually in late fall I decided to begin the process.  It has been a time-consuming, but fun and rewarding experience.  There are so many things that happened that I did not have the time to share with you while writing my blog.  Also, I expect to include many photos that I took on the trail.  I hope to complete the book by the end of this year. 

I have chosen to donate the proceeds from the sale of my upcoming book to another worthy charity, Journey of Hope.  Its mission is to provide immediate financial assistance for critical and urgent survival needs to support and sustain adult cancer patients and their families.  Journey of Hope has provided financial help to many struggling families dealing with cancer.  The need is great.  I will inform you when my book is completed and hope you will support my effort to benefit Journey of Hope.  May God bless you!    

Article

This article appeared in my local paper this week.  It gives a good overview of the trip.

http://blog.cleveland.com/newssun/2011/10/berea_hiker_completes_170-day.html

Links to the Channel 5 and MSNBC

A big thank you to everyone that came out to hear about my AT adventure and see my photos.  I hope you enjoyed the evening as much as I did.  Here are two links to the stories that appeared in the news recently.  If you want to watch the story, use the first link.  Copy and paste them into your browser.

http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/67-year-old-man-hikes-entire-Appalachian-Trail-last-350-miles-with-a-broken-ankle 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44726150/ns/local_news-cleveland_oh/#.TpMid7LLIqA

Presentation

I will be making a presentation about my Appalachian Trail thru-hike.  I expect to give a brief talk about the nearly 6-month hike, show my photos I took on the trail, and answer questions about the 2,200- mile adventure.  This is will take place on Sunday, October 9 at 7:00 PM.  It will be held at the Western Campus Theatre of Cuyahoga Community College at 11000 W. Pleasant Valley Road  Parma, OH 44130.  No need to RSVP--just come!  Hope to see you all there.