Our February Village Talk features Newburyport resident, William Shuttleworth, who will speak about his walk across America to heighten attention to the needs of veterans. His focus is on veteran suicide, veteran homelessness, veteran health care and to urge more veterans to run for office at all levels. He also worked to raise $100,000 for Disabled American Veterans. William embarked on his walk on May 15, 2019 and arrived in San Diego on September 1, completing a 3,300 mile trek in 115 days.
William’s presentation will focus on this incredible walk, address the people he met, the concerns expressed across 14 states, and the challenge of walking an average of over 30 miles a day in every weather condition one can imagine. He says: “I have learned a lot about America in the three and a half months I walked the length of this land, and listening to the voice of average Americans reveals real needs and concerns not addressed by our leaders.”
William is a retired special education administrator and school superintendent who moved to Newburyport from Maine a little over three years ago. He and his wife Patty served as volunteer park hosts at a state park in California for seven months in 2018 and it was this stint that pushed him to walk for our veterans.
Village Talks are offered by the Greater Newburyport Village for the enrichment of the community and occur every third Wednesday of the month at the Newburyport Senior/Community Center, 331 High St., Newburyport. Talks are free and open to all.
The Greater Newburyport Village is a nonprofit 501(c)3 membership organization whose mission is to promote living well and independently through community engagement and neighborly support.