Peanut Holloway FREEHOLD — When Robert “Peanut” Holloway takes a walk, he means business.
Holloway, of Freehold Borough, has walked from his hometown to Asbury Park, Lakewood, New Brunswick and Red Bank to raise money for the YMCA of Western Monmouth County Community Center, 41 Center St.
This year, Holloway will walk from Freehold Borough to Trenton. The 26-mile trek will begin at 6 a.m. Sept. 12 when Holloway departs from Jackson Street and will end at the state Capitol in Trenton.
“Mr. Holloway is a very inspiring man,” said Mel O’Neal, branch director of the YMCA Community Center.
From volunteering at YMCA events to talking to youths in the community to riding a bicycle and walking to raise awareness and funds, Holloway “has benefited the community and the YMCA with his amazing energy, inspiring dedication to our youth and his willingness to think of others,” according to O’Neal.
The walking events, O’Neal said, serve multiple purposes: they highlight the importance of fitness; they focus the community on health and fitness; and they raise funds to support programming at the YMCA Community Center.
“The funds raised help to support various programs,” O’Neal said.
A basketball league, golf, open gym, summer camp, a leader’s club, a model United Nations, a chess club, a book club and holiday parties were among the programs mentioned.
Holloway and his family have been in Freehold Borough for generations, always serving the community.
“I walk to raise money for the YMCA. Money is raised as people make per mile pledges to support the walk,” Holloway said.
In 2009, Holloway’s life changed when he had a stroke. As a result, he changed his diet and began walking and riding a bicycle in an attempt to improve his health. Holloway suffered strokes again in 2010 and 2012 and went through rehabilitation two times. Now, at the age of 62, he is 113 pounds lighter, down from 255 pounds before the stroke in 2009.
With a daily routine that includes 12 miles of walking – six miles in the morning and six miles in the evening – Holloway is ready for his journey to Trenton.
“I’ve gone through 13 pairs of Skechers (sneakers) since 2009,” he said.
Holloway, who estimates his walk to New Jersey’s capital city will take six hours, said this is his longest walk to date.
“Mr. Holloway was motivated to improve his health, but to also use his situation to enlighten others, as well as to raise funds for youth,” O’Neal said, adding that Holloway is a “hero in every sense of the word.”
Per mile pledges are being accepted by Mel O’Neal, YMCA Community Center, 41 Center St., Suite 2, Freehold, NJ 07728.
— Christine Barcia