PROVINCETOWN – A Holden man is expected to wrap up his third walk across the state today in Provincetown.
B.J. Hill started the 250-mile voyage on July 4 in Williamstown in an effort to gather messages to present to the gubernatorial candidate elected in November.
Hill walks with a journal and has people he meets write a message, view or concern that he hopes to present to the next governor.
“This is a way for people to write their ideas and their comments into the book in order to get it directly into his hands,” Hill said.
The walk has no agenda and is non-partisan.
“I’m not doing it to promote any specific cause. I’m not doing it for any candidate or for either side,” Hill said. “Anything that people want to write can go in the book.”
Hill said the issue that is garnering the most attention from people he meets is immigration.
“Some people are very pro-immigration. They want to actually loosen regualtions,” he said. “Other people are very pro-regulation but they want to make sure that immigration is done legally.”
Hill said he has not heard from anyone in the state who is against immigrants coming.
“It’s either make it easier for the immigrants or make it more secure for Americans who are here,” he said.
A second popular theme from residents has been health insurance costs.
Hill completed similar walks in 2006 and 2014 and was able to meet with Governors Deval Patrick and Charlie Baker and deliver his journal.
Hill normally completes his walk in October and said it is much different in the heat and humidity of the summer.
“It’s a lot cooler in October. On the flipside though, it gets darker earlier in October,” Hill said. “I love being able to walk until like 7:30 or 8 o’clock at night and still have plenty of sunlight.”
He said he has lost about 8 pounds since starting on July 4th.
Baker faces a primary challenge on the Republican side from Scott Lively. Jay Gonzalez and Bob Massie are democratic candidates seeking the office.
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