First Washington, Pennsylvania Observer-Reporter Profile of Terry Ronzio
Flag man expects to complete 500-mile walk for troops
OBSERVER-REPORTER
12/1/2006
by Bob Niedbala, Staff writer
WAYNESBURG -- The idea struck him one day this summer.
That day, said Terry Ronzio II of Holbrook, his frustration with all the "negative" news of the war in Iraq reached the point at which he knew he had to act.
Too old to enlist, Ronzio, 43, came up with another idea to show support for the young men and women serving in the military. "I thought I'm just going to pick up a flag and start walking," he said.
Ronzio, who takes to the highway when he can, holding the American flag high, hopes to complete his goal of walking 500 miles in support of the troops next week.
He does it, he said, not only to call attention to the sacrifices of the young men and women serving in this country's military but also to unite others in the same cause.
"We're so divided in this country but we have to be united behind our troops," Ronzio said. "The young men and women over there need people to be united for them back home."
Ronzio, a disc jockey and herbalist who works with his mother at her herb store, began his walk about mid-August. He walks whenever he gets the chance, averaging about 30 miles a week.
In Greene County, he has walked Route 21 and Route 218. His longest walk, 24 miles in one day, was along Route 218 from Waynesburg to Blacksville, W.Va., and back. Because of darkness, he said, he finally took a ride from a motorist who happen to be a Vietnam veteran.
More recently, he has been walking Route 119 between Connellsville in Fayette County, where his mother has her store, and Uniontown.
Many people who have seen him trudging along the highway with his flag probably wanted to know why he's doing what he's doing. He said his parents also wondered why. "They thought it was crazy," he said.
But Ronzio said he has been surprised by the support he's received from motorists, who have honked their horns or stopped to offer rides, food or water.
Most of those who have stopped, he added, have been veterans.
Ronzio said he likes the idea that it's been veterans who have shown their concern. "These guys now out of the service still take care of us. They're our guardian angels," he said. A number of veterans also have followed his journey on his "Myspace.com" Web site.
As of Thursday, Ronzio said, he has covered 484 miles. He is planning to complete his 500-mile walk at noon Thursday on the Masontown Bridge, which is also known as Veterans Bridge.
After that, he said, he may set himself another goal, like maybe walking 1,000 miles.
Whatever he does, Ronzio said, he considers his efforts a success. He noted he has influenced several others to follow in his footsteps, and take up the flag and the highway.
Getting others to show their support for the troops is, after all, one of the main points of his effort.
He said he always remembers when he was a Boy Scout and his father, who was a scout leader, told him, "'You only need one match to start a fire.' That's what I'm doing, lighting a fire for patriotism."
Click here to return to the Unity Party of America Media Center
Paid for by the United National Committee. The communications on this site are not authorized by any candidate or any candidate's
committee. Copyright © United National Committee. All rights reserved. Any use of any material found on this site requires the
express written permission of the United National Committee of the Unity Party of America.
This website built and operated by WRHAMMONS.COM of Boulder, Colorado USA
Flag man expects to complete 500-mile walk for troops
OBSERVER-REPORTER
12/1/2006
by Bob Niedbala, Staff writer
WAYNESBURG -- The idea struck him one day this summer.
That day, said Terry Ronzio II of Holbrook, his frustration with all the "negative" news of the war in Iraq reached the point at which he knew he had to act.
Too old to enlist, Ronzio, 43, came up with another idea to show support for the young men and women serving in the military. "I thought I'm just going to pick up a flag and start walking," he said.
Ronzio, who takes to the highway when he can, holding the American flag high, hopes to complete his goal of walking 500 miles in support of the troops next week.
He does it, he said, not only to call attention to the sacrifices of the young men and women serving in this country's military but also to unite others in the same cause.
"We're so divided in this country but we have to be united behind our troops," Ronzio said. "The young men and women over there need people to be united for them back home."
Ronzio, a disc jockey and herbalist who works with his mother at her herb store, began his walk about mid-August. He walks whenever he gets the chance, averaging about 30 miles a week.
In Greene County, he has walked Route 21 and Route 218. His longest walk, 24 miles in one day, was along Route 218 from Waynesburg to Blacksville, W.Va., and back. Because of darkness, he said, he finally took a ride from a motorist who happen to be a Vietnam veteran.
More recently, he has been walking Route 119 between Connellsville in Fayette County, where his mother has her store, and Uniontown.
Many people who have seen him trudging along the highway with his flag probably wanted to know why he's doing what he's doing. He said his parents also wondered why. "They thought it was crazy," he said.
But Ronzio said he has been surprised by the support he's received from motorists, who have honked their horns or stopped to offer rides, food or water.
Most of those who have stopped, he added, have been veterans.
Ronzio said he likes the idea that it's been veterans who have shown their concern. "These guys now out of the service still take care of us. They're our guardian angels," he said. A number of veterans also have followed his journey on his "Myspace.com" Web site.
As of Thursday, Ronzio said, he has covered 484 miles. He is planning to complete his 500-mile walk at noon Thursday on the Masontown Bridge, which is also known as Veterans Bridge.
After that, he said, he may set himself another goal, like maybe walking 1,000 miles.
Whatever he does, Ronzio said, he considers his efforts a success. He noted he has influenced several others to follow in his footsteps, and take up the flag and the highway.
Getting others to show their support for the troops is, after all, one of the main points of his effort.
He said he always remembers when he was a Boy Scout and his father, who was a scout leader, told him, "'You only need one match to start a fire.' That's what I'm doing, lighting a fire for patriotism."
Click here to return to the Unity Party of America Media Center
Paid for by the United National Committee. The communications on this site are not authorized by any candidate or any candidate's
committee. Copyright © United National Committee. All rights reserved. Any use of any material found on this site requires the
express written permission of the United National Committee of the Unity Party of America.
This website built and operated by WRHAMMONS.COM of Boulder, Colorado USA
OBSERVER-REPORTER
12/1/2006
by Bob Niedbala, Staff writer
WAYNESBURG -- The idea struck him one day this summer.
That day, said Terry Ronzio II of Holbrook, his frustration with all the "negative" news of the war in Iraq reached the point at which he knew he had to act.
Too old to enlist, Ronzio, 43, came up with another idea to show support for the young men and women serving in the military. "I thought I'm just going to pick up a flag and start walking," he said.
Ronzio, who takes to the highway when he can, holding the American flag high, hopes to complete his goal of walking 500 miles in support of the troops next week.
He does it, he said, not only to call attention to the sacrifices of the young men and women serving in this country's military but also to unite others in the same cause.
"We're so divided in this country but we have to be united behind our troops," Ronzio said. "The young men and women over there need people to be united for them back home."
Ronzio, a disc jockey and herbalist who works with his mother at her herb store, began his walk about mid-August. He walks whenever he gets the chance, averaging about 30 miles a week.
In Greene County, he has walked Route 21 and Route 218. His longest walk, 24 miles in one day, was along Route 218 from Waynesburg to Blacksville, W.Va., and back. Because of darkness, he said, he finally took a ride from a motorist who happen to be a Vietnam veteran.
More recently, he has been walking Route 119 between Connellsville in Fayette County, where his mother has her store, and Uniontown.
Many people who have seen him trudging along the highway with his flag probably wanted to know why he's doing what he's doing. He said his parents also wondered why. "They thought it was crazy," he said.
But Ronzio said he has been surprised by the support he's received from motorists, who have honked their horns or stopped to offer rides, food or water.
Most of those who have stopped, he added, have been veterans.
Ronzio said he likes the idea that it's been veterans who have shown their concern. "These guys now out of the service still take care of us. They're our guardian angels," he said. A number of veterans also have followed his journey on his "Myspace.com" Web site.
As of Thursday, Ronzio said, he has covered 484 miles. He is planning to complete his 500-mile walk at noon Thursday on the Masontown Bridge, which is also known as Veterans Bridge.
After that, he said, he may set himself another goal, like maybe walking 1,000 miles.
Whatever he does, Ronzio said, he considers his efforts a success. He noted he has influenced several others to follow in his footsteps, and take up the flag and the highway.
Getting others to show their support for the troops is, after all, one of the main points of his effort.
He said he always remembers when he was a Boy Scout and his father, who was a scout leader, told him, "'You only need one match to start a fire.' That's what I'm doing, lighting a fire for patriotism."
Click here to return to the Unity Party of America Media Center
Paid for by the United National Committee. The communications on this site are not authorized by any candidate or any candidate's
committee. Copyright © United National Committee. All rights reserved. Any use of any material found on this site requires the
express written permission of the United National Committee of the Unity Party of America.
This website built and operated by WRHAMMONS.COM of Boulder, Colorado USA
12/1/2006
by Bob Niedbala, Staff writer
WAYNESBURG -- The idea struck him one day this summer.
That day, said Terry Ronzio II of Holbrook, his frustration with all the "negative" news of the war in Iraq reached the point at which he knew he had to act.
Too old to enlist, Ronzio, 43, came up with another idea to show support for the young men and women serving in the military. "I thought I'm just going to pick up a flag and start walking," he said.
Ronzio, who takes to the highway when he can, holding the American flag high, hopes to complete his goal of walking 500 miles in support of the troops next week.
He does it, he said, not only to call attention to the sacrifices of the young men and women serving in this country's military but also to unite others in the same cause.
"We're so divided in this country but we have to be united behind our troops," Ronzio said. "The young men and women over there need people to be united for them back home."
Ronzio, a disc jockey and herbalist who works with his mother at her herb store, began his walk about mid-August. He walks whenever he gets the chance, averaging about 30 miles a week.
In Greene County, he has walked Route 21 and Route 218. His longest walk, 24 miles in one day, was along Route 218 from Waynesburg to Blacksville, W.Va., and back. Because of darkness, he said, he finally took a ride from a motorist who happen to be a Vietnam veteran.
More recently, he has been walking Route 119 between Connellsville in Fayette County, where his mother has her store, and Uniontown.
Many people who have seen him trudging along the highway with his flag probably wanted to know why he's doing what he's doing. He said his parents also wondered why. "They thought it was crazy," he said.
But Ronzio said he has been surprised by the support he's received from motorists, who have honked their horns or stopped to offer rides, food or water.
Most of those who have stopped, he added, have been veterans.
Ronzio said he likes the idea that it's been veterans who have shown their concern. "These guys now out of the service still take care of us. They're our guardian angels," he said. A number of veterans also have followed his journey on his "Myspace.com" Web site.
As of Thursday, Ronzio said, he has covered 484 miles. He is planning to complete his 500-mile walk at noon Thursday on the Masontown Bridge, which is also known as Veterans Bridge.
After that, he said, he may set himself another goal, like maybe walking 1,000 miles.
Whatever he does, Ronzio said, he considers his efforts a success. He noted he has influenced several others to follow in his footsteps, and take up the flag and the highway.
Getting others to show their support for the troops is, after all, one of the main points of his effort.
He said he always remembers when he was a Boy Scout and his father, who was a scout leader, told him, "'You only need one match to start a fire.' That's what I'm doing, lighting a fire for patriotism."
Click here to return to the Unity Party of America Media Center
Paid for by the United National Committee. The communications on this site are not authorized by any candidate or any candidate's
committee. Copyright © United National Committee. All rights reserved. Any use of any material found on this site requires the
express written permission of the United National Committee of the Unity Party of America.
This website built and operated by WRHAMMONS.COM of Boulder, Colorado USA
That day, said Terry Ronzio II of Holbrook, his frustration with all the "negative" news of the war in Iraq reached the point at which he knew he had to act.
Too old to enlist, Ronzio, 43, came up with another idea to show support for the young men and women serving in the military. "I thought I'm just going to pick up a flag and start walking," he said.
Ronzio, who takes to the highway when he can, holding the American flag high, hopes to complete his goal of walking 500 miles in support of the troops next week.
He does it, he said, not only to call attention to the sacrifices of the young men and women serving in this country's military but also to unite others in the same cause.
"We're so divided in this country but we have to be united behind our troops," Ronzio said. "The young men and women over there need people to be united for them back home."
Ronzio, a disc jockey and herbalist who works with his mother at her herb store, began his walk about mid-August. He walks whenever he gets the chance, averaging about 30 miles a week.
In Greene County, he has walked Route 21 and Route 218. His longest walk, 24 miles in one day, was along Route 218 from Waynesburg to Blacksville, W.Va., and back. Because of darkness, he said, he finally took a ride from a motorist who happen to be a Vietnam veteran.
More recently, he has been walking Route 119 between Connellsville in Fayette County, where his mother has her store, and Uniontown.
Many people who have seen him trudging along the highway with his flag probably wanted to know why he's doing what he's doing. He said his parents also wondered why. "They thought it was crazy," he said.
But Ronzio said he has been surprised by the support he's received from motorists, who have honked their horns or stopped to offer rides, food or water.
Most of those who have stopped, he added, have been veterans.
Ronzio said he likes the idea that it's been veterans who have shown their concern. "These guys now out of the service still take care of us. They're our guardian angels," he said. A number of veterans also have followed his journey on his "Myspace.com" Web site.
As of Thursday, Ronzio said, he has covered 484 miles. He is planning to complete his 500-mile walk at noon Thursday on the Masontown Bridge, which is also known as Veterans Bridge.
After that, he said, he may set himself another goal, like maybe walking 1,000 miles.
Whatever he does, Ronzio said, he considers his efforts a success. He noted he has influenced several others to follow in his footsteps, and take up the flag and the highway.
Getting others to show their support for the troops is, after all, one of the main points of his effort.
He said he always remembers when he was a Boy Scout and his father, who was a scout leader, told him, "'You only need one match to start a fire.' That's what I'm doing, lighting a fire for patriotism."