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Doc Bernie Duff is a former medic who was stationed in Phu Tai, Vietnam in 1969 and 1970. He spent 10 years on active duty in the US Army. He graduated from the University of Louisville (KY) with a Fine Arts Degree and currently does acrylic paintings to raise money for the poor and the handicapped kids throughout Vietnam. He formerly worked as an employment specialist with homeless veterans in home state of Michigan until disability forced personal retirement in 2000. That same year ‘Doc’ was awarded the Michigan Veteran of the Year Award. Since 2006, he has lived and worked as an unpaid volunteer in Vietnam, spending a great deal of time with the poor kids who work in the garbage dump in Tra Vinh (Vietnam), Cay Bang Primary School (District 4, Ho Chi Minh City, VN) and poor families in and around Quang Binh Province (Vietnam). Some of the projects he and Bao Anh now lead are a scholarship program for Primary School students and the provision of piglets to struggling families in the North. Recently Bernie completed a painting for The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on behalf of "Operation Babylift." He is on the Board of Directors for The Sharon Ann Lane Foundation and took part in the dedication of The Sharon Ann Lane Clinic in Chu Lai, Vietnam.
 
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Bob completed his university studies in 1968. He then joined the Peace Corps and travelled to Libya to teach English until the change of government there necessitated his return to the US. He then taught junior high in Buffalo NY for a year. Later he undertook graduate studies in Economics, working for the U.S. Department of Transportation and for a private consulting company. Similarly to Mike, a lot of Bob’s work was for the railroads. Bob finished his working career running the family knitting mill in Chicago, where he still lives. Two years ago, he had to close the 100 year old company when he realized they couldn't compete with imports any longer. His greatest service effort has been in the area around the factory which for many years was one of the poorest in Chicago. The most important part of that effort was to improve opportunities for kids from the local housing projects including providing pre-school education through college scholarships for 100's of kids. Since the mill closed and the neighbourhood gentrified, he has been looking for what he wanted to do next and was very attracted to Vietnam. And then he found Orange Walk. Kismet!
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Karla Foss Reilly is an artist living in Alabama, USA. She is the former Vice President of HALO (Helping And Loving Orphans) a non-profit organisation based in Seattle Washington and has worked to raise funding for the disadvantaged in Vietnam, Columbia and Afghanistan. Karla travels to Vietnam regularly and is in the process of starting her own non-profit organisation called The International Healing Project, with efforts concentrated in S.E. Asia. She has a special interest and commitment to the leper villages in Central Vietnam, the children living and working in the garbage dumps in the southern region of the country and children affected by Agent Orange. In the U.S., Karla works as an active board member with the Cancer Wellness Foundation, raising funding and awareness for cancer patients in her home state.
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Jo is a retired Registered Nurse who for many years worked on the Intensive Care Unit of the main hospital in her home town of Cairns, Australia. While unable to work due to health challenges, her energies remain keen and it is for that reason that she leapt at the chance to aid those less fortunate, particularly with regard to Agent Orange. Her cherished cousin Richard, a Vietnam Veteran, lives every day with its effects. He is pictured below with Jo’s daughter Jess, who will be accompanying us for the duration of the walk. Jo’s passions (aside from her three adult children and three step-children) include writing, photography and travel.
 
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The life mate of Doc Bernie Duff, living in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. She has advanced degrees from universities in Vietnam for Journalism and Tourism and has been involved in charitable operations with a group in Vietnam called UMX from 2002-2007. With this group, she was introduced to the children in Tra Vinh and has been instrumental in getting a great deal of worldwide support for their plight. She has also worked with people suffering from AIDS (a major problem here in Vietnam), the handicapped, the elderly, orphans and a group called SMILE. She is also very involved in the same current projects as is Doc Bernie Duff, including Cay Bang Primary School and the families in Quang Binh Province and of course, the Walk. For a more detailed look at the fine work already done by Doc Bernie and Bao Anh, please have a look at their ‘Multiply’ blog sites (web addresses are listed under the [LINKS] tab).
Bao Anh and her mom (who walked half of the way)
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Phuc was born and raised in HCMC, Vietnam after the war. He joined the military for 2 years then he fished his school 4 years later to become a cameraman. He has worked for several media companies. He joined the walk to make a documentery movie then offcially became a member of the Orange Walk team. He is a good walker and a great helper for everyone of the team.
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Truyen came from Phu Yen province. She went to Da Lat to study then worked in some different places. She knew about the walk through a friend. She got excited and decided to join the Orange Walk 2008. She walked from the begining and the end of the walk (HCMC-Ha Noi) as well.
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