'Faith with feet': Rue memorial draws a crowd

By TOM RUE

MILANVILLE, PA -- About 40 people gathered to walk 10 kilometers in the third annual Walk for Social Justice, sponsored by the Upper Delaware Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.

The walk along the Delaware River from Narrowsburg to Milanville on October 22 was dedicated to the memory of Clyde "Bud" Rue, organizer of the walkathon, who died during the 1993 walk.

In addition to fellowship members and supporters of the various charities, participants included Rue's children and grandchildren as well as his brother, Dr. Robert Rue of Niantic, Ct. He said he made the trip from New England to honor his brother, who with him supported similar social agendas.

The youngest participant was 11-month-old David Rue Jr. of Newtown, Pa, whose parents, David and Kathy Rue, took turns pushing his stroller up River Rd. The oldest was Jessie Fisher, 79, of White Mills, a longtime member of Habitat for Humanity.

The evening after the walk Ann Rue, Bud's widow, said $2860 had been collected -- with many pledges not yet in. Ella Rue-Eyet of Ringoes, NJ, said the total gave organizers hope that this year's revenues would exceed amounts collected in the past.

My wife, Carmen, and I also participated and colleged from generous donors. While the proposal to raise funds to benefit community organizations was Bud's, the suggestion in 1993 to hold a walkathon was Carmen's She said he ridea was based on the success of similar events in Sullivan County.

In February 1995, a sum of $1000 was presented to each of four charities. This year's proceeds will be distributed in February 1996.

The numbe ro f walkers was also up from last year, from 30-35 to 45, Ann Rue said.

Sweeping back and forth to pick up the tired were Fellowship president Joe Walker of North Branch and vice-president Jesse Ballew of Damascus.

Walker called the event "an appropriate tribute to Bud Rue."

Rue died October 24, 1993, at the age of 59.

Afterward, the fellowship resolved to hold similar events named in his memory. "It was started by Bud to address the social inequities he saw in the river valley," said Ann Rue. "It's been continued as a tribute to his efforts and to keep alive the principles he held to be important."

This year the Fellowship designated a fifth beneficiary -- Habitat for Humanity of Sullivan County. Other target groups include the Wayne County Habitat chapter, which Bud Rue founded in 1990; Interfaith Outreach United (IOU) of Callicoon; Victim's Intervention Program (VIP) of Honesdale; and the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office, a nongovernmental organization that fosters the Unitarian Universalists' social agenda globally.

Before the walk, at a regular Fellowship service in Milanville, representatives of the five groups explained their organizations' progress, including Tom Hubers of IOU, Sandi Panchyshyn of the Sullivan Habitat, Pearl Hochstadt of the Wayne Habitat, Denise Gumble of VIP, and John Rue, who spoke about the UN office and described the walkathon as a demonstration of "faith with feet."

Donations to the Fund for Social Justice may be mailed to PO Box 123, Milanville, PA 18443.

[PHOTO CAPTION]

Pictured above are the immediate family of the late Bud Rue (right to left), back row: David Rue, Tom Rue, Bob Woldin, Dr. Bob Rue, John Rue; front row: Kathleen Rue holding David Rue, Jr., Carmen Rue, Ella Rue-Eyet, Ann Rue holding dog "Farfel."

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