Long Walkers northern route hospitalized

Article and photos By Brenda Norrell

A special measure of love and respect goes out to three Long Walkers on the northern route who were hospitalized following the Longest Walk, from Alcatraz to DC, which culminated on July 11, 2008, in DC.
Marie Littlemoon, who served as cook, driver and walker beginning in California, was hospitalized last week in intensive care. She is now on oxygen 24 hours a day, following the walk and her efforts that left her body depleted. This photo was taken a few days before she was hospitalized in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Here's a message from Marie to the Long Walkers. "Hey, you guys, I would love to hear from you. I miss you. Love you guys, Marie."
Marie can be reached at lilmoon2@netzero.net
Art Woosley, Pennsylvania coordinator for the Longest Walk Northern Route, has been transferred from a hospital to a convalescence home, following a serious illness. Art, who hopes to be home later this month, helped make Pennsylvania a wonderful stay for the walkers, including a governor's proclamation which resulted in open and free access to the state's parks for camping.
Still recovering, Art asks for help in locating his van, which was used by the Longest Walk northern route in Pennsylvania. It is a 1997 white GMC window van. Art can be reached on his cell phone at: 717-480-2487. Art is photographed standing before the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg, where walkers held prayers and a rally. Art hosted all of the northern route walkers to lunch at a restaurant after the capitol rally. Art is a longtime supporter of American Indian rights and freedom for Leonard Peltier. Art welcomes calls from the Long Walkers: 717-480-2487
Janice Gardipe, Paiute and Shoshone, from Reno, Nev., collapsed as the Longest Walkers walked from the White House to the Capitol in DC. Janice was hospitalized and missed all the final events in DC. The good news is that she returned home safely to Nevada. Janice said today that her knee has healed from the fall, without surgery. She can be contacted at gardipejan@yahoo.com
Janice is photographed here the day before the final walk in DC, singing a traditional song for northern and southern route walkers at Greenbelt Park, Maryland.
From the extreme cold and steep climbs in the Sierra Nevadas and Rocky Mountains to the non-stop rain and frequent tornadoes through the Midwest, to the heat and humidity of the east, the walkers endured many obstacles, including the rugged life of camping across America and times when there was little food. Tents and sleeping bags were often too thin for the cold or soaked with rain and food donations were sometimes sparse, but they made it. On the northern route, walkers usually walked about 16 miles a day, most often through cold or rain. Miguel from Tucson ran 40 miles one day carrying out a special commitment. Rebecca Duncan walked up the steep 11,000-foot Monarch Pass in the Colorado Rockies with her 10-year-old granddaughter.
Congratulations to all of the walkers and supporters of the Longest Walk northern route, southern route and Peoples Walk, who walked their prayers for Mother Earth, sacred places, Indian rights and their own families, across America.
Censored News would love to hear from you. Please feel free to send a comment or update: brendanorrell@gmail.com
Listen to the Longest Walk northern route, 500 audios and five months across America, at: http://www.earthcycles.net/