We left the original Brownsberger farm, 1605 Schumaker Road outside Manheim, at 10 am this morning. We were sent on our way by Jay, the associate pastor of Hernley Mennonite Church, and by Darryl Sensenig, the 11 year-old son of the current residents on the farm. The walk is off to a good start. So far the project has raised over $1,000 in donations and pledges.
Ron continues to hand out business cards to interested people here such as the two Mennonite ladies who stopped their car today to see if we had car problems. When Ron responds, ‘No, thanks. We’re walking to Canada.’, we get some interesting replies. ‘Oh
my!’ is common. Anyway just to remind people, Ron’s goal is to raise $22,000 for an artificial heart. The site to donate is www.sunnybrookfoundation.ca. Then click Trail of the Susquehanna.
The weather today was challenging. A weather disturbance went through this area very quickly yesterday causing temperatures to drop, bringing hail and two tornadoes. The result today was that we started walking at a -5 degree temperature. As the day went by that temperature moved up but the winds were so high that the wind chill was high. We stopped a little early to warm up.
The countryside is beautiful - lots of rolling hills, lots of rolling hills, up and down, up and down. But,
even though it was cool today, daffodils and crocuses are out, along with forsythia. Magnolia trees are starting to bloom and some tree leaves are starting to unfurl. Brrrr!.
my!’ is common. Anyway just to remind people, Ron’s goal is to raise $22,000 for an artificial heart. The site to donate is www.sunnybrookfoundation.ca. Then click Trail of the Susquehanna.The weather today was challenging. A weather disturbance went through this area very quickly yesterday causing temperatures to drop, bringing hail and two tornadoes. The result today was that we started walking at a -5 degree temperature. As the day went by that temperature moved up but the winds were so high that the wind chill was high. We stopped a little early to warm up.
The countryside is beautiful - lots of rolling hills, lots of rolling hills, up and down, up and down. But,
even though it was cool today, daffodils and crocuses are out, along with forsythia. Magnolia trees are starting to bloom and some tree leaves are starting to unfurl. Brrrr!. Tonight we are in Hershey, yes, the chocolate place. Hershey is a real company town. Wikipedia reports that ‘Hersheypark is an amusement park located in Hershey, Pennsylvania, close to the Hershey Chocolate Factory.
Hersheypark was opened in 1907 as a leisure park for the employees of the Hershey Chocolate Company, an American confectionery company. Later, the company decided to open the park to the public. Today the park has over 110 acres (450,000 m²) and over sixty rides and attractions.’ There is a Brownsberger connection to Hershey. Ron’s maternal grandfather, Isaac Wambold, was an itinerant translator for the Mennonite Publishing House. When he travelled to Hershey he met Elizabeth who became his first wife. Unfortunately she died in childbirth. Harriet Brownsberger whom we met at Lancaster County Bible Church was also a Hershey. And, nope, we didn’t go to the Hershey outlet store!Pictures:
Ron and I at the farm lane at 10 am
Schumaker Road sign
The farm house on the site of the original farm
A Mennonite lady hanging laundry next door
Scroll to the bottom to start following the amazing walk from PA to Ontario Canada. Plans to complete the walk around Lake Ontario, 517 miles, are practically dead.
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