11 · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, June 5, 2009 2006 SLK 280 Convertible. 26800km, automatic, navigation sys. Air scarf, xenon headlamps, Harman/Kardon stereo 2006 CLS 500 four door coupe, sunroof, automatic, adaptive cruise control, leather/memory seats, LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER HOME STRETCH: Ron Brownsberger passes through Oakville Wednesday on his walk that began in Pennsylvania and will soon conclude at his home in Stouffville. The 68 year old is retracing the steps of his great, great grandfather to raise money for the Sunnybrook Health Centre in Toronto. Charity walk retraces ancestor's footsteps By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF 2006 R350 Tourer. 58000km, panorama roof, automatic, alloys, Harman/Kardon stereo 2006 C 350 Sedan. 47000km, Manual Transmission, alloys, sport seats, sport susp. It has been 61 days and more than 830 kilometres since the journey began, and now the end is in sight. Ron Brownsberger, 68, passed through Oakville Tuesday afternoon as part of the final leg of a charity walk that has seen the Stouffville, Ont., resident march through Pennsylvania, New York and southern Ontario. The journey, which he has dubbed the `Trail of the Susquehanna,' mimics the path Brownsberger's great, great grandfather took from Manheim, PA to Ringwood, Ont. in 1826. The great trek is something Brownsberger had contemplated recreating for a long time. However, his health did not permit it until recently. "I had this crazy notion when I retired from teaching a few years ago, but at that time my angina was so bad I could barely get from the house to the car, let alone think about walking somewhere," said Brownsberger. "I had heart surgery a year and a half ago and it was just incredible after the recovery -- the energy I've got." So great was this new-found energy that Brownsberger asked his wife Margaret what she thought about him walking from southern Pennsylvania to Stouffville. "When are we leaving?" was the response he received. With his heart surgery experience still a recent memory, Brownsberger also decided to use the walk as an opportunity to raise funds for the Schulich Heart Centre at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. "The artificial hearts that they use cost $22,000. It goes inside the body and pumps the blood after the human heart has been removed and works as long as needed, a cou* ple weeks, a couple months, even a year," said Finance rates starting from Brownsberger. "So, it costs $22,000 to save a person's life." With a fundraising goal and the energy to For a complete listing of our Mercedes-Benz Certified vehicles visit www.mboakville.ca see it realized, Brownsberger began making ©2008 Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. *0.9% financing only available through Mercedes-Benz Financial on approved credit for a limited time on Star Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles. Star Certified qualifying vehicles include, 2004with less than 80,000km and less years in service. Finance $20,000 at 0.9% per annum equals $653.52 per month for 24 his way to Stouffville from Manheim on 2007 model year,required. License, insurance, taxes,than 4PPSA are extra. Dealer mayexample:less. Please visit Mercedes-Benz Oakville Autohaus for details.months. Cost of borrowing is $675.12 for a total of $20,675.12. Down payment may be and sell for March 30. Brownsberger said he STATE FARM® DELIVERED ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, kept the pace leisurely, AND OUR CUSTOMERS DELIVERED THIS. averaging around 13 km each day. "It's not a race," he noted. During the day's walk, Margaret and Brownsberger would follow a particular routine THERE. in which she would drive the van two kilometres ahead of Brownsberger and then walk back to meet him. When the two reached the van, Margaret would Darryl R Demille Ins Agcy Ltd Andrew Heideman, Agent Angelo Gualtieri, Agent Deborah E Bartucci, Agent drive another two kilomeDarryl Demille CFP, Agent 2828 Kingsway Drive 2nd Floor 3040 Trafalgar Road 586 Argus Road, Suite 104 tres ahead and the process 1226 White Oaks Boulevard Oakville, ON L6J 7M2 Oakville, ON L6H 7B9 Oakville, ON L6J 3J3 Oakville, ON L6H 2B9 Bus: 905-829-0018 Bus: 905-257-7773 Bus: 905-337-3276 would repeat itself. Bus: 905-842-1020 www.andrewheideman.ca www.angelogualtieri.com www.deborahbartucci.ca The experience, www.darryldemille.com Brownsberger noted, has been amazing and his blog, www.trailofthesusquehanna.blogspot.com, is filled with pictures of the sights Stacey Sutherland, Agent Stephen Ostapchuk, Agent Daniel Durst, Agent he has seen along the way, 243 North Service Road W, Suite 100 802 Southdown Rd, Suite C6 1500 Heritage Way, Suite 7 Oakville, ON L6M 3E5 Mississauga, ON L5J 2Y4 Oakville, ON L6M 3H4 including mountains, vast Bus: 905-339-3276 Bus: 905-238-5643 Bus: 905-847-1898 farmlands, wilderness and www.insuranceinoakville.com www.stephenostapchuk.com www.danieldurst.com even pictures from a jazz *According to J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Canadian Home and Auto Insurance Customer Satisfaction Study. State Farm received the highest numerical score among private full-coverage automotive insurance providers in the proprietary J.D. 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