Press Release

Today I wrote and sent out a press release about the walk. Basically I researched newspapers along the route of march, and looked them up online. In some cases there is a very easy way to send news to the periodical from the Web site. In other cases, getting an e-mail address or point of contact requires a phone call.

I also contacted 7 radio stations along the route. That's also not particularly easy from the Web sites. Of course I have no idea of whether the news release (press release) will be released by the media. Here's what I released:

Rob Siedenburg, a 65-year-old retired Army veteran, plans to walk from Quincy’s Bayview bridge to the Indiana border, just east of Danville, starting on September 1. Siedenburg’s walk will follow U.S. 24 for about 50 miles to Illinois 103. The walk will also take him on Illinois route 100, U.S. 136, Illinois 10, and U.S. 150. His walk will take him through Mount Sterling (Sunday, September 5), Havana (Friday, September 10), Mason City (Monday, September 13), Lincoln (Wednesday and Thursday, September 15 and 16), Champaign (Saturday, September 25), and Danville (September 30).

Siedenburg plans to walk about 10 miles per day, and will sleep in a tent in the bed of his Ranger pickup, which he will return to retrieve at the end of each day’s walk. Though the walk is not primarily a fundraiser, any donations will go to the Army Emergency Relief fund, which provides emergency loans to families of deployed soldiers. Siedenburg says he wants to “remember those who have given their lives for our country, raise awareness of those who are missing in action or who are prisoners of war, and honor those who have served and those who are serving.” He plans to post progress reports to his blog during the walk at http://www.walkacrossillinois-rob.blogspot.com/. Anyone interested in walking along for part of the way can contact Siedenburg at Siedenburg@comcast.net. Siedenburg plans to end his walk on September 30 at the Indiana border east of Danville.

Here is the complete itinerary:

Sept 1: Start walk at Bayview Bridge in Quincy. Walk 7 miles along U.S. 24.
Sept 2: Walk 7 miles along U.S. 24 to Fowler.
Sept 3: Walk 11 miles along U.S. 24 to Camp Point.
Sept 4: Walk 11 miles along U.S. 24 to Timewell (Mound Station).
Sept 5: Walk 6 miles along U.S. to Mount Sterling.
Sept 6: Walk 7 miles along U.S. 24 to Ripley.
Sept 7: Walk 13 miles along U.S. 24, then IL 103 to Frederick.
(Beardstown is just a mile off the route, so I'll visit there too.)
Sept 8: Walk 10 miles on IL 100 to Sheldon's Grove.
Sept 9: Walk 9 miles on IL 100 to Marbletown.
Sept 10: Walk 10 miles on IL 100 and U.S. 136 to Havana.
Sept 11: Walk 11 miles to junction of U.S. 136 and IL 10.
Drive home for weekend.
Sept 13: Walk 12 miles on IL 10 to Mason City.
Sept 14: Walk 7 miles on IL 10 to New Holland.
Sept 15: Walk 10 miles on IL 10 to Lincoln.
Sept 16: Walk 3 miles across Lincoln to Lincoln Christian College.
Sept 17: Walk 11 miles on IL 10 to Beason and stay overnight with friends.
Sept 18: Walk 12 miles on IL 10 to Clinton.
Drive home for weekend.
Sept 20: Walk 12 miles on IL 10 to Weldon.
Sept 21: Walk 10 miles on IL 10 to Lodge.
Sept 22: Walk 8 miles on IL 10 to Bondville.
Drive home to sleep.
Sept 23: Walk 10 miles on IL 10 to Champaign.
Sept 24: Take day off.
Sept 25: Walk 8 miles across Champaign (route to be determined).
Sept 26: Take day off.
Sept 27: Walk 9 miles along U.S. 150 to St. Joseph.
Sept 28: Walk 9 miles along U.S. 150 to Muncie.
Sept 29: Walk 8 miles along U.S. 150 to Hillery.
Sept 30: Walk 9 miles through Danville to Indiana state line.

Several friends specifically requested that I walk across Champaign on a Saturday so they can walk along, and I'm doing that.