year a million-dollar one.

The organisation's goal for this year is to raise $256,930 to bring the ten-year total of funds they have raised for charities to $1 million.

Yesterday, chairman of the 1997 campaign Starla Williams said Crimestoppers, the Bermuda Amateur Swimming Association, The Admiralty House Community Centre's Senior Islander Programme and the Friends of Bermuda Library would be the beneficiaries.

Linda Cox, president of the Friends of the Bermuda Library, said the funds they received would go toward purchasing books and a mechanical reader for the blind called the Reading Edge.

She said the machine reads aloud any printed page inserted into its scanner, hence allowing the blind to read anything including the daily paper.

Margaret Swan said the Senior Islander's Programme planned to use their funds to purchase a mini bus, while James Ferguson of the BASA said their portion would be used to renovate their 14-year-old pool.

Crimestoppers' David Carruthers said their goal was to promote their telephone number and Stompy their new mascot.

Over the past nine years of the walk, Ms Williams said more than 5,000 people have taken part to raise $743,070 for 32 charities.

She said there was no format for choosing the annual beneficiaries except that they had to be able to motivate participants to walk and affect the lives of many Bermudians.

Organiser Eugene Carmichael said there will be four practice walks this year -- on March 15, April 6, April 19 and April 27 -- before the May 3 event.

A middle-to-end youth walk for those 18 years and younger will also be held on the day of the walk. The Bank of Bermuda has promised to match the pledges collected by the youths.

Mr. Carmichael said a dance marathon will also be held on March 15 at 7 p.m.

at the Pembroke Community Club. It will feature a buffet dinner and a live band.

If this year's walk surpassed expectations, he added, the additional funds would be distributed to other charities.