The End to End walk started 23 years ago. Now the Catlin End to End, it has raised more than $3.34 million for charities. Last year it raised $340,000 and it is hoped this year’s event, tomorrow will be even bigger. This year it aims to support nine charities or organisations.

Adult Education School (AES): Offers a range of educational programmes tailored to the needs of adult learners who have been unsuccessful in mainstream education and who require an individual, alternative educational programme tailored to their personal needs.

With the downturn in the economy, and increased job losses through redundancy, AES has seen a rise in the number of more mature adults, aged 30 to 50, who require a GED, or who want to learn to read and write and perform basic mathematics in order to secure or retain a job.

“AES is truly appreciative of the contribution from End to End. Community support will enable the school to continue improving adult literacy; keep young adults meaningfully engaged in education; and contribute to workforce development,” a spokesperson said.

Alzheimer’s Family Support Group: Provides emotional support, education and information to family members and friends of those with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders.

Although the group was organised around the needs of families with residents in the Extended Care Unit, community-based caretakers have always been welcome, and are actively involved.

With the Catlin End to End donation, the Group will send members to overseas educational Alzheimer’s conferences and workshops, and obtain literature, which is a need, so that the community can be better informed about this disease.

For further information tel. volunteer facilitator Julie-Kay Darrell at 238-2168 or e-mail juliekay@ibl.bm

Bermuda School of Music Steel Pan Orchestra: The BSM’s mission is to reinforce Bermuda’s cultural diversity by providing opportunities for young Bermudians to develop skills and gain exposure through ongoing development of its Steel Pan Orchestra.

Formed in 2008, the Orchestra is quickly becoming Bermuda’s leading steel pan band, and is a popular performer at many public events. Led by Janice Pearman, its goal is to provide local youth and adults with an opportunity for positive group interaction, music expression and music literacy. Its musical repertoire is varied.

The Catlin End to End funds will be used to continue giving the students increased knowledge and skills in music; teach them cooperation and respect, discipline and goal setting; improve their self-esteem and academic performance, as well as a sense of accomplishment.

For further information e-mail chasarnold@musicschool.bm

Chewstick Foundation: Has been a positive ‘voice’ for more than seven years through its commitment to widening the channels of communication within the community. It has recently expanded its efforts to offer a variety of outreach programmes, which include two new programmes at the Bermuda College and Berkeley Institute designed to engage youth in the art of storytelling. ‘Chewslam’ focuses on developing the level of understanding of the mechanics of poetry.

Chewstick Foundation Headquarters hosts free weekly initiatives, including classes in African science and Capoeira Angola, as well as movie nights.

The live performance concert series, Griot Sessions, allows the best of Bermuda’s musicians, singers, rappers, and spoken word artists to strut their stuff. Weekly open mike nights are held at the Neo-Griot Lounge.

“Chewstick is definitely the future of entertainment and culture in the community,” Foundation director Gavin Djata Smith said.

Catlin End to End funds will be used to expand the after-school programme to include CedarBridge Academy.

For further information telephone 292-2439; e-mail info@chewtick.com or visit websites www.chewstick.org

Greenrock: Catlin End to End funds will be used to develop the organisation’s Healthy Harvest project, whose goal is to try to revive local food production and consumption. Noting that most food in today’s consumer society is processed, packaged and shipped around the world, Greenrock points to the lack of knowledge about the health benefits and taste of naturally produced foods, and says generations of Bermudians and expat workers have no idea what locally-grown citrus, other fruits, and vegetables taste like. Through its Health Harvest project it hopes to re-engage the community in planting, harvesting, purchasing and eating local produce.

For further information visit www.greenrock.org

Keep Bermuda Beautiful (KBB): One of Bermuda’s oldest environmental charities, it fights against the proliferation of litter, and the preservation of Bermuda’s unique beauty, through education programmes on responsible trash disposal, as well as localised and Island-wide clean-up events. This year alone, KBB’s 25 clean-ups have yielded nine tons of recyclables and one ton of bulky waste.

Its 2010 mission and goals are to get every individual to take greater responsibility for reducing waste and eliminating litter through action and education, and will use the Catlin End to End funds for educational and awareness-building programmes, as well as promotion of KBB’s monthly clean-ups.

Planned steps include: organising annual Island-wide and regular monthly clean-ups; designing a variety of awareness-building programmes in association with other organisations to focus students on keeping the Island’s environment clean and healthy; presentations and clean-up activities; the promotion of litter awareness at community fairs, Earth Days and more; and outreach to the general community through the websites www.kbb.bm and www.facebook.com/litter.free

The funds will also be used to launch a new cigarette litter prevention programme to raise awareness of Bermuda’s main littered problem, and also to provide a solution for smoking-related litter.

The Reading Clinic: Founded in 1968 in response to the needs of dyslexic children, its work has grown to include an array of services designed to meet the needs of individuals with specific reading and mathematics learning disabilities.

Its ‘Individualised Cognitive Approach to Numeracy’ (ICAN) programme was formally adopted in 2009, and caters to Primary 5 and 6 mathematics students, primarily from Elliott, BHS and Victor Scott schools, who learn differently. The quality of the programme is monitored by observations, monthly progress reports, and testing.

Catlin End to End funds will be used to support students unable to afford the full tutoring fees, help fund tutor training and professional development and help with administration and coordination costs.

Sandys 360 Foundation: Sandys Sport, Aquatic & Enrichment Centre (SA&EC) serves as a hub for more than 13,000 members of the surrounding community. Its stated mission is “to create healthy and positive young people, adults and families throughout the area by providing a community-gathering place and full range of programming in education, health, aquatics and recreation via a campus community centre. It aims to prepare young people for life after school, and foster constructive community values and connections”.

Its objectives aim to address critical social issues; create healthy and positive young people, adults and families; and enhance the overall quality of life in various ways. These include a comprehensive range of preventative education, health/fitness, recreation and development opportunities for youth, adults and families; as well as lifelong learning, daily living, and recreation options for seniors and the aging population; early intervention and specialised programming for families with prenatal to pre-school children, and at-risk youth and families; critical opportunities for the community at large to come together and reconnect via civic, mentoring and volunteering roles; and also to serve as a convening place.

The Catlin End to End funds The Catlin End to End funds will be used to continue developing SA&EC’s bedrock programmes of scholar arts and scholar athletes, and also to purchase much-needed equipment.

WindReach Bermuda: Catlin End to End funds will be used to support the work experience programme. This six-month training programme assists special needs individuals with the development of work and life skills to enable them to integrate into the wider working community. Progress is reviewed monthly to ensure there is a gradual increase in responsibilities until they are employable in the local work force.

The programme’s functional skills component involves students from primary and secondary schools who have learning disabilities, are developmentally delayed, or have behaviour and anger management issues. This component is run in partnership with the Ministry of Education, and includes up to 15 students per school term. Skills taught include gardening, janitorial/housekeeping, maintenance, reception and animal husbandry.

A job support initiative is being developed with the Department of Labour and Training, the Mid Atlantic Wellness Institute, and other special needs professionals.

“End to End is a valued supporter of WindReach Bermuda,” director Lance Furbert said. “It supported the pilot programme for whaBermudast has become Bermuda’s only integrated summer camp for special needs and able-bodied children. It has also supported the seniors programme, and the adaptive sports programme, which is now assisting local adaptive sports athletes who are competing internationally.”