— A Gandma's promise —
Participants: Saying farewell to Grandma

By Karen Francis
Diné Bureau

ST. MICHAELS — Some of the people who walked with Grandma Marjorie Thomas and the Central Navajo Youth Opportunities Coalition were there since the very beginning 15 years ago. For others, it was their first time joining in the annual walk-a-thon, which was held July 1-4 from Chinle to Window Rock. However, long-time supporter or first-time walker, each walked for the youth.

Miss Navajo Nation and the vice president are usually not seen walking down Arizona Highway 264 from the summit into St. Michaels, but they were there — along with some 60 walkers — to lend their support to the effort to raise money for a youth center in the Chinle community. Miss Navajo Jonathea Tso sang mountain songs at the request of Thomas as the group made its way over the mountain to get to Window Rock.

Participation was up this year, organizers said. The reason was probably because it was announced as Thomas’s farewell walk.

Though Thomas said that the Navajo government has been slow to help in the past, Navajo Nation Council Delegate Harry Claw, Chinle, announced that he will introduce legislation seeking $70,000-$80,000 for the effort.

“Getting $3,000 a walk isn’t getting us there so we have to look at other resources,” he said. He added that he is confident the Council will support the legislation.

While Grandma’s initial idea was to raise money for a multimillion dollar recreation center, a skate park is more realistic. Claw said that a skate park would cost an estimated $70,000.

“Let’s get this up and let Grandma see it,” he said.
The walk brought together people of all ages, races and backgrounds.

Loretta Bilberry was walking for the first time, but her brother is with the Apache County Sheriff’s Office, which provides an escort for the walk-a-thon every year.

“He said it’s an honor to participate,” she said. She decided to see what he was talking about and began walking in Chinle. On the fourth day, she was still walking into Window Rock.

It was also the first year for Kory Klee, 16, to participate. He said he was there to “support the walk.” He heard about it from his dad and started walking on Wednesday in Ganado. Joining him were his brother and nieces.

“It’s been interesting. At first I didn’t know what I was doing it for,” Klee said. He learned as he walked that he was doing it for other youth, he said.

Erna Thomas, from Wheatfields, was there to support her grandmother, Grandma Thomas, on her farewell walk. Seven out of eight of Thomas’ children and numerous grandchildren were there for her.

“So far this year it seems like it’s going pretty good. We’re getting a lot of walkers because it’s Grandma’s farewell walk and we’re getting a lot of donations,” she said.

Ryan Begay, 17, started the walk on the first day in Chinle. Asked how the walk was going, he said, “Tiring, sore feet, blisters.”

The hardest part of the walk was pushing Grandma Thomas up the summit, he said as he collected donations from people driving by.

“I’m just standing by Miss Navajo. She tells them to donate,” he said.

Kendrick Benally, 18, from Chinle, was also collecting donations. He started on the second day of the walk.

“I heard it was going to be Grandma Thomas’s last walk,” he said. It was his first year participating and he was walking with his own grandmother.

“I wish I would’ve walked earlier. It’s fun,” he said.

Jerilyn Tso, 13, from Flagstaff , also came with her grandmother who is from Window Rock.

Though she would get tired, she just kept on going. She beat the heat by wearing a white shirt and a cap along the way. Her favorite part of the walk was the food.

Della Bahe from Sanders, Ariz., has been participating in the annual walk-a-thon for the past three years in support of youth and veterans. This year she started in Ganado.

She said she is now wondering who is going to carry on the walk for the youth.

“She’s done a lot for all the kids,” Bahe said about Thomas.
She added that the walk is also about health.

“That’s what we used to do in the old days — a lot of walking,” she said.

Ben Shelly, vice president of the Navajo Nation, said he “is right on the same page” with Grandma Thomas after she spoke about the need to pay attention to and love children.
“We tend to forget that love cures everything,” he said.

He added that the Navajo Nation is changing fast and the government needs to prepare the youth for that.

Claw said that putting up a youth center will help to put a dent in use of alcohol, drugs and violence among youth.
Ed Becenti, a volunteer from St. Michaels who helps organize the annual walk, said that the biggest challenge was the heat, but that it is similar to participating in a four-day cleansing ceremony.

His favorite part of the walk-a-thon was seeing the people coming out and meeting other members of the Navajo Nation.

He noted that people from other chapters seek advice from organizers and Thomas about how to begin a similar walk for their communities.

This year’s walk raised approximately $2,000, Becenti said.
The annual walk was sponsored by National Relief Charities. Apache County Sheriff’s Office assisted with traffic control and making sure Grandma Thomas and everyone else is safe as they walk, Sgt. Chuck Gaston said.