MARQUETTE - Gene Fletcher wants people to know that he's as normal as anyone his age.
Fletcher, 14, of Isabella in Delta County has cerebral palsy and scoliosis, but that isn't preventing him from trekking in his wheelchair from Rapid River to Big Bay this week to raise funds for Bay Cliff Health Camp.
"I am doing this trek to raise awareness for people with disabilities and to show other people without (disabilities) that we can do things the same as them, we just have to tweak the way we do it," he said. "The second reason I'm doing this trek is to raise money for Bay Cliff."
Fletcher said he attended Bay Cliff last year and met someone with cerebral palsy who was raising money for the United Cerebral Palsy organization by walking across Michigan on stilts.
"I thought 'why not me,' " he said.
Currently on his way to Marquette from Escanaba, Fletcher and his father Mike travel about 25 to 30 miles a day, with rest stops about every 5 miles to allow the motors of the wheelchair to cool down. Safety vehicles are accompanying the Fletchers and different organizations provide the crew with refreshments.
"The support I've been getting from around the country is astonishing," Gene said. "All together, the trek to Bay Cliff has raised well over my goal of $10,000."
The teenager - who likes to read, play board games and "annoy his father" - will be passing through Marquette Friday. He will be at the ability fair at the Marquette Commons, hosted by the Superior Alliance for Independent Living, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fletcher said he hopes to reach Bay Cliff on Saturday - the camp's opening day.
For more information on how to make a pledge or follow Fletcher's schedule, go to www.trektobaycliff.com.
