Launching this year?s walk at City Hall, the End-to-End committee?s community spirits could not be dampened, even by the weather.

For the last 16 years, many Bermudian charities have received cash from the ?walk/cycle/paddle/row/swim and dive?, which takes place on May 1 this year.

Yesterday, seven charities (more than all previous years) were nominated.

Big Brothers and Big Sisters and the Coalition for the Protection of Children, look after the well-being of youth. Together, they will get 50 percent of all proceeds.

Another 25 percent will go to the Railway Trail Support Fund, who plan to address the needs of the track many walkers use.

Three other charities, Visitor Industry Partnership, Neverland Foundation (for children whose lives are affected by HIV) and the Bermuda School of Music, will share the remaining 25 percent of money raised.

At City Hall, the Committee honoured Fiona Lanzino, an employee of AAC Saatchi and Saatchi, who won the ?starving artist? competition for her T-shirt design.

Mrs. Lanzino won a $750 groceries voucher at Lindos.

Now she will ?no longer starve?, committee member Richard Simon said.

Mrs. Lanzino said it took ?three to four hours to do on the computer,? using the ?Adobe Illustrator 10? program.

She said she enjoyed making the design, it was ?really fantastic news to get the $750? and she ?may well do the walk this year.?

During the speeches, the executive directors of those foundations which profited from last years? end-to-end, revealed how the work of the committee allowed them to help more people in the last 12 months. Two examples are: St. John?s Ambulance and the Physical Abuse Centre.

In preparation for the long hike, there are seven practice walks taking place around the Island. They all start at seven a.m. Most are seven miles long.

March 14, starting at Clearwater Beach;

March 21, Collector?s Hill apothecary;

March 28, Fort Scaur;

April 4, Albuoy?s Point (13 miles);

April 11, Horseshoe Bay;

April 18, Harrington Sound School parking lot (around the Sound); and

April 25, Spanish Point park.

Information on the walks are available at 292-6992

Questions on the ?kayak end to end? from Shelly Bay, or the ?kayak middle to end? from Spanish Point, may be directed to Chris at 295-1402.

PADI certified divers may bring their dive logs for a practice dive from Spanish Point Boat Club on April 24.