The bus to California made it, thanks to the generous support and donations of our listeners! Each and every one of you who called, emailed and made donations Thank You!
In speaking with Amy yesterday she told me for the first time that she volunteered to drive the bus as she is a bus driver. Roman coordinated securing the bus and volunteered to go along to help. They both will be taking a Greyhound bus home to Minneapolis, Minnesota and to Washington, DC, thanks to another donation (thank you)!
Thank you all!
The Longest Walk 2 was an 8,000-Mile walk for Native American Rights, Environmental Protection, and to Stop Global Warming. They walked all the way to Washington, DC, and they made it, some after walking over 5 months. Most went through the cold, rain and snow for thousands of miles on behalf of Native America, Mother Earth, and dare I say, for all of us!
When they finally reached their destination, there was not enough transportation home. Now many are being forced to walk home, or find any way they can to return home. Imagine their frustration after all they went through, only to learn that their return transportation did not exist. Imagine their fear and uncertainty at the prospect of perhaps having to walk thousands of miles to get home.
We have been in touch with Amy Wagner who is driving an old bus they were able to secure. Amy stated that the bus only gets 12-15 miles per gallon and they need approximately $2,000 for gas alone. Amy and the bus will make stops at cities along her route to stop at Western Union offices to pick up gas money. They are on their way to California. They will be dropping of people along the way including New Mexico and Arizona, and are traveling along Route I-40 West.
You can send donations to Amy Wagner via Western Union, but you need to check this page for the next City and State that Amy and the bus will be heading towards.
Please let me know via an email or a Guestbook post that you have made a donation, the amount, and which City you sent it to. This way we can alert Amy to pick up the gas money at the next City/State.
08-19-08:
Thanks to another listener donation, we have been able to secure the funds for the 2 bus tickets. Thank you all once again!
08-18-08:
Amy and Roman made it to Oakland, where they are making arrangements to donate the bus they were driving to a Native clinic or school. We need to secure a one way bus ticket for Amy to return to Minneapolis, Minnesota and one for Roman to return to Washington, DC.
08-13-08:
Spoke to Amy who stated they were in East Los Angeles, CA. They are so close, but we need about $200 more for gas for the last leg of the trip!
08-11-08:
Amy said they would be in San Bernardino, CA Tuesday, which has them about 434 miles away from home. They are more than 85% of the way home! Amy said they would be in East LA today and then Compton, CA tonight.
08-07-08:
Spoke to Amy today and we are all in great spirits, especially thanks to Tomas Lujan (and friend) for his extremely kind donation! The bus is so close to home thanks to all of you. NativeRadio thanks you all!
08-06-08:
There were several days where we lost contact with Amy and the bus as Amy lost her cell phone. Cell phone was replaced and I spoke to Amy again. They are in Flagstaff, Arizona till Saturday. Everyone is very excited that they are getting much closer to home! I asked Amy how long she hs been awayw from home. She said it was March. Thank you Amy, Roman, and the rest of the Longest Walkers 2!
08-02-08:
Spoke to Amy who said they were leaving back to I-40 West home. They will be in Flagstaff, Arizona late today and will spend the night there.
07-31-08:
Amy and those remaining Longest Walkers will be leaving Durango, Colorado Saturday morning and expect to be in Flagstaff, Arizona late Saturday. We will coordinate with Amy tomorrow and Saturday and update you as things progress.
Thank you Kate and Brian!
07-29-08:
Well the bus is 75% of the way home thanks to all of you! They have completed over 1,8067 miles on this long 2,817 mile journey home. They only have about 950 miles to go. Thank you so very much, from all of us here at NativeRadio.com. We can not thank you enough! I spoke with Amy this afternoon and they are staying in Durango, Colorado with family till Saturday. We will update you as more donations come in and this "Magic Bus" travels home!
07-28-08:
Amy said that they are taking a short break today and traveling to Durango, Colorado to see family. They are at the Acoma Pueblo and will be in Gallup, New Mexico later.
07-27-08:
Spoke to Amy and they are in Albuquerque, New Mexico. One of the Longest Walkers may have a car ride home to Shiprock. She will call me later to let me know their next city.
07-26-08:
Amy said they are in Texas now but expect to be in Gallup, New Mexico tonight! They are getting a lot closer to home!
07-25-08:
Just coordinated with Amy on an anonymous donation for lunch at the Fire Lake Casino in Oklahoma.
Amy said they decided to spend more time getting the bus checked out and to take a short break so they will be in Oklahoma City, OK today.
07-24-08:
Amy is visiting with the Creek Nation today and they will be staying in Oklahoma City tonight. They expect to be in Texas tomorrow, and they plan to have the bus checked in Amarilo, Texas tomorrow.
07-23-08:
Just spoke to Amy and everyone is doing great. They are in Ft. Smith, AK and will be in Oklahoma later today. She mentioned that someone had called worried that their bus had broken down. Amy said not the case and spirits were high!
07-22-08:
Amy and the bus are approaching Memphis and will be in Little Rock, AK later today.
07-21-08:
I spoke with Amy today and they are in Knoxville, TN heading west on I-40. Next City will be Chattanooga, TN, heading to California.
Donations:
No further donations are needed:
Thank You All!
Donations To Date: (Thank You!)
Anonymous - $50.00
Eva Gorman - $75.00
Mahesh Brown - $60.00
Anonymous - $58.62 (lunch)
Peltier Family - $300.00
Kate Presser - $30.00
Brian Shane - $20.00
Tomas Lujan - $450.00
(pending) - $450.00
Michael and LaToya Butler Members of the Walipai Tribe of Arizona
Arizona Indigenous Couple Still Stranded After the Longest Walk 2.
By: Jay Winter Nightwolf
August 2, 2008
After walking almost 5 months from Arizona to Washington, D. C., husband and wife Michael and LaToya Butler managed to get to Minnesota to pick up their belongings. They were assisted by the good people of the Washington, D. C. area and other undisclosed sources.
They had planned to go to Dennis Banks to pick up their baggage and wait for someone from their reservation in Kingman, Arizona to come and pick them up. However they were informed that Michael’s mom and other elders were involved in a very unfortunate auto accident where the car flipped over. Fortunately everyone in that car will be okay.
That car was their way to get back home. They have been stranded going on two weeks and don’t have money to get home. One of the “Longest Walkers” is traveling back to Arizona – Four Corners Area. Four Corners is 200 miles from where Michael and LaToya and their 8 children live.
They are in need of $200.00 to help out with the gas. If they can get that money then they will be on their back home tomorrow all the way to their house. If any of you can help, contact Patrick Doyle at (575) 758-3182.
"Going Home" !
It was good people like members of the Plymouth United Church of Christ in Washington, D. C., some listeners and supporters, an American Indian Nation and their friends, that supported us in keeping the Butler’s in the Washington, D. C. metropolitan are and getting airline tickets to point them west towards home.
In essence "The Human Family" came forth to lend a hand. Thank you to everyone that gave financial and spiritual support to assist us in making this effort a reality.
In March of 2008 Michael and Latoya Butler left their home and eight children at the bottom of the Grand Canyon to join "The Longest Walk" headed to Washington,
D. C. on a 5 month trek starting from Alcatraz Island, San Francisco, California. They successfully completed the walk. While involved in the day to day duties and pitching in to help Michael suffered a severe injury to his left shoulder, torn ligaments.
After the end of the walk, Michael and Latoya were given a 1996 Ford Taurus to drive following a caravan heading to Pipestone, Minnesota. The caravan pulled out and the car they were driving blew out the power steering pump. At that point they were forced to stay behind with only a $100.00 gas card. After efforts to reach out to the leadership of the walk, they found themselves stranded and at the mercy local residents of the Washington metropolitan area.
Jay Winter Nightwolf a Washington, D. C. based radio/television talk show personality stepped up along with his daughter Cyreita Cabbel to help them. Michael and Latoya are presently staying with Nightwolf and his daughter until something happens to assist them in getting home and getting expert medical attention for Michael. Michael needs surgery to correct his injury.
Jay Winter Nightwolf
9000 Nancy Lane
Fort Washington, MD 20744
Michael and LaToya Butler Members of the Walipai Tribe of Arizona
