Friends walk for Peace
Coast to coast walkers pass though Sanpete
9-10-2020
INDIANOLOA—While trying to spread a message of peace, love and hope, two good friends who met at Utah Valley University walked through Indianola for a few hours last week on a 2,800 mile “Walk For Peace 2020.”
Averaging about 20 miles a day, the two men from UVU, Paul Chavez and James Thompson, started their trek on June 24 in San Francisco, CA and hope to end their journey in Washington D.C. sometime before Christmas.
Their friend Katrina Dobieski is accompanying them and driving the support vehicle.
The three friends were inspired to make the trek after seeing civil unrest and protests erupt across the country.
On their website worldpeace2020, they stated their reason for walking. “With so many people feeling unsettled right now between Covid-19, social injustice and the general upheaval of this year, we felt like we wanted to do something”
After a suggestion that they walk for peace from coast to coast, the three friends got on board.
“We’re hoping that this opens up a more positive dialogue and shifts the narrative to what we can do, not what we can’t,” they write. “There’s always a way to enact change, and this is our drop in the bucket.”
The three friends are documenting the entire trip with photos and video on social media and they encourage others to come join them for a day hike as they make their journey.
Along the way, the two walkers discuss philosophy, history and the reasons for embarking on such an endeavor.
While walking from Nephi, through Sanpete County and into the Uintah Mountains on their way to Soldier Summit, the friends videotaped their journey.
Paul, a history teacher, stated they are “experiencing peace by walking for peace.” And James emphasized they are trying to make a small impact by their walk. “We are not out to change the world,” he said.
The peace walkers met up with a marketing team from UVU as they trekked through the mountains. The UVU team came out to publish an article on them for their alumni. James wrote, on Friday, “We got to spend some time with UVU’s Matthew Chambers and Gabriel Mayberry while we were on the trail. These guys are rockstars! They hooked us up with food, drinks, and gear… along with covering our story for their alumni.”
A lot of other people are lending support, providing donations of food, drinks and money and spreading the world. KLS and FOX news have both ran television spots on the trekkers.
James served as an LDS Missionary for two years in Argentina and says he is used to walking. He writes on social media that, “Walking truly does give you access to people in a unique way. I know some might think it’s silly with a simple support like this, but I truly want there to be peace in our country. So please spread the word!” He goes on to tell people to join the movement and visit #walkforpeace2020.
