Woman Stops In Macon During Cross-Country Walk

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Most people fly if they’re planning a trip across America.

But a visitor to Macon had different plans–she’s walking.

And for every step she takes, thousands of dollars go to children in need.

She isn’t staying long, but that’s not because she doesn’t enjoy the southern hospitality.

Stacie Eichenger started at the Pacific Ocean and is heading all the way to the Atlantic –making her way through Macon.

Her shoes wear out pretty quickly.

“I got through a pair of shoes a month. So they last about 500 miles,” said Stacie.

Of course, when you’re walking across the *entire country, that’s not surprising.

“I planned for three years, and I have a crazy cart that I push,” said Stacie.

Stacie Eichenger’s passion lies with helping others and traveling.

She combined the two, and decided to walk across the U.S., staying with anyone who would let her.

“People just take me in,” said Stacie. “They don’t know me. I don’t know them either, but they don’t know me and they’re like yep, you can come stay at my house here’s a spare key cuz we might not be home all day.”

It’s a doozy of a 3800 mile trek, and all for an organization called Beads Of Courage.

“Beads of Courage is a program set up in hospitals that help children cope with serious illnesses,” said Stacie.

From simple shots to chemotherapy, there’s a bead for each child, and for each procedure.

“So they have a tangible record of absolutely everything they go through,” said Stacie.

Stacie wanted to help out.

For every mile she walked, she had bead.

And for every bead, donors gave $10–adding up to 38,000 dollars.

Friday morning, 41NBC joined her journey for just a moment as her route, took her through the Medical Center of Central Georgia.

“My route from Seattle to Savannah–I kind of said Seattle, Chicago, Savannah,” said Stacie. “And then I went to the Beads of Courage website, pulled up all the hospitals, and said okay–plot my course accordingly.”

And along the way, her adventures were almost too many to count.

“And I kind of realized I’ve seen a lot of America, but not as much as other countries I had been to,” said Stacie. “I’m like, that’s kind of sad. You know I really need to get out there and see what America’s all about. Cuz, you travel and you meet these people who are like, ‘Oh Americans, oh america.’ I’m like no, that’s not true at all! America is amazing!”

And when you hear amazing stories like Stacie’s, you have to agree.

Beads of Courage was founded in Tucson, Arizona, where Stacie is originally from.

She told me she got involved with the organization a few years ago and loved it.

If you want to learn how to get involved yourself, check out the Beads of Courage website.