Ninja Poodles Local

Thank you, Belinda! My husband will be happy to know that there are people who care enough to help spread his message.
Let me know if you or anyone else has any questions. I will be happy to answer all I can.
Gina

Gina - I would love to know a few things, if you see this. I wish I had asked Damion when I had the opportunity.

What inspired him to do this? Has he ever had any kind of military involvement - his family, etc.?

Has he encountered any problems along his walk? Been threatened in any way, or has everyone been kind?

How would you describe him as a person? Obviously he's tenacious, of high character, loyal.... He seemed almost shy, to me, soft-spoken...not the kind of person you'd think would take on this kind of mission....although, we never know what's inside a person... :)

Has he always been an athletic person? I noticed that he seems to have lost weight since he set out...that's no big surprise, of course! Maybe I should walk across the country.... ;)

Oh, and how did he choose his route? It's SO HOT here in the South during the summer....

I have a million other questions, but I'll stop here (for now!). :)))
Gayle

We have all heard how much we hate this war, how our men and women are over there risking their lives, and for what? Someone else's freedom?! That is what fueled this campaign across the United States in Damion's heart. It is not fair of us to be so selfish in regard to freedom, so divided in the support we show to our troops...irregardless of the support we give...there is a difference. We give a lot, but how do we really show them our appreciation for fighting for the freedoms of others who could not or cannot fight for it themselves and achieve it? Damion heard all the talk he wanted to hear, some negative, some good, and he decided that he wanted to raise American's patriotic pride, and instill in them a belief that our soldiers are our own, our soldiers fight for freedom of all, not just our country, and if it were not for that, our freedoms we so mindlessly take for granted would be in dire jeopardy.

Damion has never been in the military, and was not allowed to be. He does have family members who have served and who are serving in our military. He wants them to know that what they, and other soldiers, have done and continue to do is appreciated and not something to shrug at.
There are problems and obstacles for everyone. His are more elemental. The heat tires him faster, and the snow flat out slows him to a crawl. People for the most part have been kind. There have been a few that have laughed at him, and who have put him down for what he is doing. One man even offered him a bus ticket home saying that there was no way what he was doing was real or realistic. It made him mad, but then he told me, "Let him be ignorant. He is just jealous that he can't do this himself!"
If I had to use one word to describe Damion, it would be determined. He is shy to a point. It is really kind of a personal oxymoron for him because he is also a people magnet. There is no where he can go that he does not make a friend! He can be rough when need be, but really he is generally even tempered. He is not religious, but he is rather spiritual. I like to call him my Happy Hippieman! :)
When we discussed this walk I thought the same way. No way he can do this!!! Well, he made it through the freezing snow and winds of the desert, home. In his log book, in the very back, I wrote, "This is by far the craziest and most sensible/reasonable thing you could do."
He has lost a bit of weight, but I have also noticed more muscle! There are times when he goes a day or two with out food. So, when he can find nourishment along the way, he doesn't turn his nose down. He is constantly active but doesn't go to a gym or anything. He lifts a lot of carpet!
He sort of chose his route, and it sort of choose him. He knows that food and water are a great concern, so he chose the direction that had fewer barren spots and more water sources. Damion has been through the South before, and has found it really enjoyable. So when he called from Arkansas, I was not too surprised that he chose to go father South than he had planned originally.
Damion is really a great man with a soft heart. He works hard to achieve his goals, and failure is not an option for him. It is hard knowing the weather conditions he faces, the days and nights without food or water, and the people who may wish him harm, but he keeps my hopes lifted, and I do the same for him. I hope that if anyone out there sees him, that you stop and say hello. Do not mistake him for a homeless man or a vagrant. He has a home, a family, and money if he needs it...but Damion is the kind of man who will not take from his family when he has what God provides to him either through nature or human kindness.

By the way, The man who so graciously and bluntly offered my husband a bus ticket home is the President and CEO of the Holiday Inn Presidential where Damion was lucky enough to stay a night. If he is reading this, I hope he knows just what he has done. Instead of hoping my husband would admit defeat at the coldness of his words, he has added even more feul to Damion's already blazing troops. You, Sir, are the reason he even began this journey...I owe you my thanks and gratitude for helping him along the way!

Well, Damion is now headed to Mississippi to meet some people who called and wanted to meet him. It was raining where he was at last night and he only had $14.00 in his pocket. He had stopped at a motel and the manager let him stay for $14.00 and an agreement to clean a couple of rooms in the morning. Just goes to show that willingness can often have some unexpected and pleasant rewards.

Hi everyone just letting you know I AM OK. I would lie to thank you ALL for your support and kind words about my endeavor. I would also like to thank you for helping to keep Ginas' spirits up during a difficult time for both of us.We get to talk but as many of you know it is not the same as having your loved one actually there to touch and sit next to to speak to. SO ....... thank you again!! By the way I am in Fort Knox , Kentucky and doing very well. I was recently at Ft. Cambell where I received a very warm welcome, and a set of ACU's (from a soldier whos' Humvee was hit by an IUD , he also gifted me with a whole ensemble of military garb ranging from T shirts to PT clothes ) along with several challenge coins from the 101st Airborne. Thank you to all of our Soldiers too for being so supportive of my walk also!! I LOVE YOU ALL. May this endeavor continue to inspire and mend all of us.

We had the privilege of meeting Damion today in North Vernon, Indiana. He was hot and tired but friendly and focused on his mission.

My husband and my son Dillon gave him a ride to Atterbury Maneuveur and Training Facility in Edinburgh, IN (about 40 minutes North East of North Vernon, IN). We were proud to be able to help him on his journey and send our prayers and well wishes to Damion and Gina and the girls.

Gina - if you read this - Damion gave us the address and we will correspond shortly. If you need anything let us know. Our prayers and well wishes are with your family. Love, the Schoonover Family, North Vernon, Indiana. He did an interview with the local paper and we will send that as soon as it prints.

Hello everybody ,sitting at Camp Atterbury IN. right now , thought I would tell you I met with an Army Col. yesterday and A Master Chief in the Navy where I was also able to speak to some guys that came home from Iraq 3 days ago. Hope all is well for all of you and I will continue to keep you posted as to my whereabouts.I would also like to thank the schoonovers for the part they played in helping me get on post .... Thank you will talk to you soon
Damion

Damion - a good friend of our coffee shop (Nick) just mentioned to us that he met you in your travels around Greenwood/Indianapolis, Indiana while he was biking. I just wanted to let you know all of us at The Bean Cup Coffee Shop support and appreciate what you are doing. My wife Chris and I want you to know that if you happen to be back in our neck of the woods on your journey, you have some food and a roof to stay under waiting for you. I went to school in Nineveh, just down the road from Camp Atterbury where you were (the school was used in the film Hoosiers and has since been torn down). It was really cool seeing you were writing from there. Take care brother and stay strong!

I met Damion in Plymouth Indiana and that is when he told me what he was doing, and of course I was skeptical about it but he seemed pretty sincere about it. I am a taxi driver and I hear all kinds of stories all the time and sometimes can tell which to believe and the ones not to believe. Yesterday I had got out the piece of paper that I wrote down the information he gave me on and was going to look it up and didn't. I was sitting here at home this morning after getting off of work and just happened to look down at the floor and there was that piece of paper staring me in the face so I decided to look up the information that was written on the paper, and to my surprise I came across this website. I just want to say I am sorry that I was so skeptical and I hope he accomplishes his goal. Good Luck Damion and remember this is always someone there to carry you just when you thing you can't make it any further!! Here is a famous poem that seems to fit for this situation.
One night a man had a dream.
He dreamed he was walking across the beach with
the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.
For each scene he noticed two sets of footprints
in the sand, one belonging to him, and the other
to the Lord.

When the last scene of his life flashed before
him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand.
He noticed that many times along the path of his life
there was only one set of footprints. he also
noticed that it happened at the very lowest and
saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it.
"Lord, You said that once I decided to follow You,
You'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed
that during the most troublesome times in my life,
there is only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why, when I needed
You the most You would leave me."

The Lord replied,
"My son, my precious child, I love you and
would never leave you. During your times of
trial and suffering, when you see only one
set of footprints, it was then that I carried you." (http://www.link4u.com/footprints.htm)