Local News

84 year old walking 700 miles across Illinois

Thu, 07 May 2015 07:08:18 CDT
84 year old Dean Troutman is walking 700 miles in 75 days to raise money for the community park in memory of his late wife. Troutman, a Princeville native, departed from Princeville on April 21st. and now Troutman's Trek has brought him to Macoupin County. He spent May 6th in Medora, May 7th in Shipman and he will be in Bunker Hill on May 8th where there will be a small ceremony in front of the Lincoln Statue on Rt. 159.

The 84 year old is walking by himself on his trek and will have walked through 60 communities before he is finished. Following his stop in Macoupin County, Dean will be in Midway, Hamel and Lebanon. The 84 year old will head down to DuQuoin before walking back home to Princeville, where he plans to arrive on July 6th. Troutman's Trek will make stops in Pana and Taylorville in June.

Troutman tries to walk nine miles a day. He has been staying in each town as he walks through; most of the time at the local fire house.

In 2011 Troutman donated the land for a community park to honor his late wife, Peggy. The park sits on more than five acres, in Princeville, will baseball, football and soccer fields. It also features a walking trail and picnic pavilions. Troutman is hoping to raise money to add a playground along with scoreboards and bleachers and activity stations to the walking trail.

To learn more about Troutman's Trek go to troutmanstrek.com