About Don and his HD Campaign

Don Stevenson

Don Stevenson, 72, a former pastor from Auburn, Washington, is an ultra walker. Since retiring in 1998, Don, accompanied by wife Loretta in their pickup for logistical support, has logged over 40,000 miles criss-crossing North America to raise money to battle diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis and cancer.

Maria Federici In one emotional walk, Don hiked 106 miles through the Cascade Mountains blindfolded in empathy for Maria Federici, a young Washingtonian blinded in a traffic accident caused by an unsecured load.

With Lou Whittaker, left.

In 2004, Don ascended to the 12,300-ft level of Mount Rainier (with training from famed mountaineer Lou Whittaker) as part of the American Lung Association's Climb for Clean Air.

Everywhere Don goes he brings a smile and, if you need some Good News, he'll give you some from his handy New Testament. That's how he became North America's Pacin' Parson.
Click for a slide show about several of the friends Don has honored in his walks.

Loretta Stevenson

Don’s current cause is Huntington’s disease, (HD) a devastating hereditary, degenerative brain disorder for which there is currently no good treatment or cure.

One out of every 10,000 Americans has HD. Typically the disease strikes between the ages of 30 and 45, but sadly, also affects children as early as age 2. HD diminishes the ability to walk, think, talk and reason. Eventually, the person with HD becomes totally dependent upon others for care, which in turn, profoundly disrupts the lives of the entire family – emotionally, socially and economically.

In January of 2007 Don began a campaign against HD. His current goal is to raise $20,000 for the Northwest Chapter of Huntington’s Disease Society of America (www.nwhdsa.org), by walking 13,000 miles. In May, 2008 he'll head east from the Space Needle in Seattle, walk through Chicago and end up at New York’s Empire State Building. Thus he'll become the most interesting person to make the Seattle-to-NYC trip since Tom Hanks in Sleepless in Seattle.

Don was born in Columbus, Ohio on January 4th, 1936 in the middle of a snow storm. He was number four of eight children. He dropped out of high school to join the US Marine Corps in 1954. After leaving the Marines in 1957, he completed 3 years of high school and 4 years of college in 4 years, receiving his high school diploma in 1959, and his Bachelor of Theology Degree (cum laude) in 1961. Since his Marine Corps days, Don has served as a Christian author, teacher, pastor, volunteer firefighter and truck driver. After 28 years with Darigold Inc., he retired in 1994 to devote his time to writing.

Don and Loretta have been married since 1983. Don says of her, "She's such a game soul and a real sport! I'm a hard man to love, but she makes it look easy." About his lifestyle and his reason for walking, Don explains, "God has blessed me with good health, and out of gratitude I've tried sharing that blessing with those who are less fortunate. I'm a happy, wealthy man. I don't possess much of this world's goods, but I do possess that which money cannot purchase--Love, Joy, and Peace!"

Don's HDSA benefit is generously sponsored by: