They’ve walked halfway across the country for little more than a dollar per mile – money that will support autism research and parents trying to pay their children’s hospital bills.

Upon completing their freshman year at WSU, Cameron Coupe and Alexander “Zan” Roman set out on a 2,800-mile walk that began as a mutual desire for adventure. As they planned their journey from the Emerald City to the Big Apple, they decided to use the opportunity to raise money for Seattle’s Children Hospital.

“We are bummed about not being halfway to our goal on the money, and we are halfway done walking,” said Coupe, whose 7-year-old cousin partly inspired the fundraising effort.

Coupe’s cousin died in 2006 after losing her second bout with cancer. For this reason he hopes to raise money for children’s uncompensated medical care.

Roman, whose older brother is treated for autism at Seattle Children’s autism center, said he and Coupe planned the trip somewhat spontaneously.

“We talked about it in our dorm one night, and the next day we went to Walmart and bought an atlas and started planning,” he said.

So far, Coupe and Roman have raised only about $1,600 of their $10,000 goal, which they hope to reach by the end of their journey in October, Roman said.

“If everyone who has liked this page donated $10, we would be just $1,500 short of our goal,” they wrote on their Facebook page, which had 761 likes on July 21.

Earlier this week a total of 23 people had donated through the pair’s website, walkforseattlechildrens.com. All proceeds will go to the hospital.

“Everyone wants to help out,” Roman said. “We get thumbs-ups, hear ‘keep going’ and get water bottles. People are happy to hear what we’re doing, and everyone is positive.”

Coupe said he and Roman hope word of mouth will attract more donations as they pass through bigger cities. They were in Appleton, Minn. on July 21 – 67 days and 1,525 miles into their expedition.

“We’ll know more at the very end,” Coupe said of what the journey has taught them. “We are learning new things every day.”

They’re travelling only by foot or by longboard and have declined offers for car rides, Coupe said. When they aren’t sleeping in tents on the side of the road, they hole up in back yards or the guest rooms of new acquaintances.

“Once we explain to people what we are doing, they understand why we look homeless but so young,” Coupe said, noting that the trip has made them more comfortable interacting with strangers.

Roman said his favorite location so far was a paved bicycle trail near Lake Coeur d’Alene, which he said was the first body of water they saw after leaving Seattle.

He said he’s felt safe during the trip, except for a few occasions when he was nearly hit by a car while walking along a highway.

Coupe said he plans to transfer to Western Washington University after the trip for its design program.

Roman said he has considered transferring to Eastern Washington University as he prefers the quarter system. What’s more, he said after talking to people along their path he has decided to switch his academic focus from environmental science to elementary education.

Coupe said their parents are eager to see them and will buy plane tickets to get them home after the trip.