For the Reporter

The Puyallup Valley Pulmonary Hypertension Support Group honors Auburn marathon walker Don Stevenson on Oct. 17 for his latest efforts to support the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA).

The group recognizes Stevenson at a fundraising luncheon from noon to 2 p.m. at Puyallup United Methodist Church, 1919 W. Pioneer Ave., Puyallup.

Stevenson, 79, a retired minister and a former U.S. Marine, recently completed a four-month, 3,000-mile cross-country walk, raising awareness and nearly $10,000 in donations and pledges for the PHA.

At the ceremony, PH patients are invited to join Stevenson and other supporters in a six-minute victory lap that will end with the group crossing a periwinkle finish line.

A six-minute walk test is a common metric used to evaluate the well-being of PH patients, and periwinkle is symbolic of the color of the lips of some PH patients when they lack oxygen. Periwinkle has also come to represent hope and empowerment to the PHA community.

Stevenson’s journey for PHA was his 20th long-distance walk since 1998 to raise money and awareness for medical causes.

Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. Annette Gildemann, an Multicare Auburn Medical Center staff chaplain, starts the celebration at noon, followed by Stevenson’s remarks at 12:30 p.m. The walk starts at approximately 12:45 p.m., followed by lunch and an auction at 1 p.m.

Those interested in joining the welcome celebration should RSVP by Oct. 14 at garypeders@comcast.net.