A 90-year-old Princeville (IL) man is walking 3,600 miles thru several states to raise money for children fighting cancer.  Dean Troutman sats it's "one step at a time" and God-willing he'll end his trip sometime next year.  He's waklked for a cause before.  This time, he says, it's about helping those kids that really need the support.  

The Princeville man is moving through Iroquois County today (Monday) with resting stops in Gilman and Watseka.  He also made stops in Chatsworth and communities where fire departments and churches have welcomed him.  Troutman said "I can't think of a better way than to help children who really need the help."

Troutman is traveling from Illinois — through 15 states and then back home.  Well-wishers are showing a lot of support, donations have topped $11,000 with a goal of $36,000.  The effort is all by foot, with a healthy supply of walking shoes and food. 

Walking for a cause is something he's familiar with, but the limit before was about 700 miles.  This effort, he calls his last, would be quite an accomplishment.
Troutman is no stranger when it comes to hitting the pavement.

“I like to walk and I’ve got to have a reason to do it and St. Jude is a charity I think deserves it as much or more than anyone I can think of,” he says.

Troutman started from home. near Peoria.  He came across Route 24 and will head into Indiana.  Once into Indiana, he says his goal is to hit Ohio then Kentucky and West Virginia, then Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina and "I hope to be out in Florida by Christmas.”

Troutman said he loves the community support. “So long as long as people keep sending in donations and these old bones hold up and this old body keeps holding together, I’m going to keep walking,” Troutman said.  It may take a while, he says: “I might be back home next year, July or August.”

Troutman visited with WGFA 94.1 in Watseka.  

If you’d like to make a donation, Check in at TroutmanTrek 2021. 

94.1 WGFA