ELBERTON, Ga. — A long-distance Walk for Peace that had been expected to pass through Northeast Georgia will no longer travel through Athens or Elbert County, according to local officials. The Buddhist monks will instead travel south of Athens to the town of Bishop in Oconee County on Saturday, Jan. 3.
The monks announced on social media that they will stay overnight Saturday at Oak Ridge Lodge in Arnoldsville in Oglethorpe County. The lodge is located at 33 Oak Ridge Trail. Visiting hours are from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday.
“We warmly invite everyone to visit us during the visiting hours!” they said.
VIEW Updated Walk for Peace map
Viral walk veers east
Elbert County Emergency Services said it was notified Thursday morning by the Walk for Peace journey coordinator that the group’s route has shifted south and will now travel through Columbia, S.C, bypassing Elbert County entirely.
“Due to this routing change, the group’s course has shifted south, and they will no longer be passing through Elbert County,” the agency said in a news release issued Jan. 2.
County officials, along with the Elberton city government and Elbert County government, said they appreciated receiving advance notice of the change and extended best wishes to the participants as they continue their journey.
Through a Facebook post, June Cottingham, the Athens coordinator for Walk for Peace, stated, “the monks have now changed routes and will not come through Athens.” Cottingham did not respond to Now Habersham’s request for additional information.
Cross-country journey
The 2,300-mile-long Walk for Peace began in Fort Worth, Texas, and is aimed at promoting peace, compassion, and nonviolence as participants walk thousands of miles toward Washington, D.C. The group is made up primarily of Buddhist monks and supporters and has drawn attention across several states as it moves east.
Earlier reports had indicated the walkers could pass through parts of Georgia, including areas near Athens and Elbert County, and the South Carolina upstate. With the revised route, the group is now expected to continue south of these cities on a trajectory towards Columbia, eventually making its way toward the Mid-Atlantic region.
Media reports from South Carolina indicate the walkers are expected to arrive in the Columbia area in the coming days as they continue the next leg of their journey.
Elbert County officials said no local events or traffic impacts related to the walk are now expected.
Residents interested in following the Walk for Peace can track updates and route changes through the group’s official social media pages and public updates as the journey continues toward its final destination in the nation’s capital.
