July 2, 2003

Sanilac County News
Sandusky, MI

Global walker steps through Sandusky

By Eric Levine
Editor

  Three and a half years ago, Polly Letofsky sold most of her possessions, broke up with her boyfriend, and started walking.

Step by step, she's been at it ever since, raising public awareness about breast cancer and money for cancer research.

She arrived in Sandusky on June 25, along with two friends she met out West during the first two weeks of her journey.  Debi and Jim Linker of Palm Desert, Calif., have kept tabs on her ever since, and joined her recently in Ontario, Canada.

Debi, a breast cancer survivor, walks with Letofsky, while Jim drives a large motor home which will provide lodging for Letofsky until September when the Linkers return home.

They planned to spend the weekend in Sandusky for Thumb Festival, then venture into northern Michigan, looking for a town where Letofsky can celebrate her first July 4th in America in years.

She's been on the road since Aug. 1, 1999, when Letofsky combined her childhood dream of walking around the world, with a desire to fight the disease that struck people she knew in her community of Vail, CO.

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The Lions organization has backed her GlobalWalk for Cancer in several countries, lining up speaking engagements, food and lodging.

She admits it will probably take a while "to ease into what's normal" after being on the road by herself for so long.

"I"ll get a job, ride a bike, write a book," she said.

In the meantime, "I want to rediscover America," said Letofsky, adding she's  "thrilled" to be back in the United States.

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