Homer Alaska - News -

"I went to folks I know and they sponsored us for between a nickel a mile and some for a couple of bucks a mile," Carlson, a retired pawn shop owner, said. "We should raise quite a bit of money for the food bank."

The group Carlson; his son, Forrest, 13; and his grandsons, Drew, 14, Drake, 12, and Kade, 10 started their walk at 8 a.m. June 5. They spent the first night at the Decanter Inn, just north of Kasilof, where their Volkswagen van, known as the "hippie van" and covered with hundreds of bumper stickers, awaited their arrival. The next day, the group slowed their pace, eventually reaching the Clam Shell Lodge at Clam Gulch.

"It's taking longer than I thought it would, but if you can't stop and smell the flowers or throw a rock in a creek, what's the point?" said Carlson from Ninilchik Monday morning.

Every summer Carlson tries to find a special activity he and his family can enjoy. When he hit upon the idea of walking to Homer "they looked at me like I was crazy," he said.

The fund-raising element added special meaning to the idea. What has been seen and experienced along the way is adding unexpected facets to the walk.

"You wouldn't believe what people throw away," Carlson said, surprised at the amount of trash littering the edge of the highway.

Not so this group. Whatever they discard is kept until day's end when it is disposed of properly.

Then there are the close-calls with distracted drivers. Although Carlson, his son and grandsons keep cautiously to the edge of the pavement, if not off it as the shoulder permits, they have experienced some near-brushes with fast moving vehicles.

"Every one of them, the driver's been on the cell phone," Carlson said.

At one point a load of building materials whipped past them. Part of the unsecured load flew off the truck, through the air and landed at Carlson's feet.

And then there's the caring, generous side of people. Carlson and his family have been given rooms for the night, allowing them a comfortable break from camping in the hippie van. They've been given food to eat, a welcome departure from the daily ration of noodles. They've had cash donations pressed in their hands from people who have heard of their determination or seen the food pantry T-shirts they're wearing.

Among those offering a ride was a fishing guide who recognized Carlson as someone who helped him in years past. Arriving in Alaska penniless and jobless, the man had wandered into Carlson's pawn shop in Kenai.

"You gave me money for a hotel and for food and I never came back to say 'thank you,'" Carlson recalled the man saying.

Finally able to offer his thanks, the fishing guide signed a pledge sheet, adding to the amount Carlson and his family will raise by completing their walk.

The Homer Community Food Pantry is one of 60 sites on the Kenai Peninsula that get food from the food bank, according to Diana Jeska of Homer.

"That's where we buy our food at a reduced price," Jeska said. "If those shelves are filled, that's where we go shopping."

Susan Smalley, acting executive director of the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank, said Carlson's efforts will benefit people on the peninsula from Homer to Moose Pass.

"Homer really does a lot of good work. It's significant that's the way (Carlson and his family) are going," Smalley said.

Carlson's effort also serves to highlight the creative ways individuals can support the food bank and local pantries, Smalley said.

"A lot of people are doing very creative things that we don't have time to do," she said, adding that activities like Carlson's increase the public's awareness.

"Some of us live fairly isolated lives and don't really know anybody that needs food. A lot of us are lucky to not be in that situation."

Carlson and his walking companions plan to be in Homer by the end of the week.

McKibben Jackinsky can be reached by mckibben.jackinsky@homernews.com.