$80,000 they raised for local charities last year.

More than 500 walkers have registered to take part already.

The Island is also likely to get some international publicity with the participation in the walk of CBS This Morning co-anchor Ms Paula Zahn, the only one of the CBS morning show trio, which includes Harry Smith and Mark McEwen, not to have visited Bermuda.

New mom Ms Zahn, accompanied by her husband Mr. Richard Cohen, will kick off the Middle-to-End 15-mile walk at Albuoy's Point at 11 a.m. and hopefully complete it in Dockyard.

The main 26-mile walk starts in Kings Square, St. George's at 8 a.m. and also finishes at Dockyard.

"We're looking for numbers in excess of last year's,'' End to End Committee head Mr. Jon Borrill said.

Committee member Mrs. Anne Mello noted a Pasta Banquet had been organised for walkers the night before at a cost of $15 each.

Ms Zahn will be attending the dinner next Friday night at Pembroke Sunday School.

The non-competitive walk for fitness and charity is a full marathon covering the distance from one end of Bermuda to the other.

It was started in 1988 as a challenge between two employees of Johnson and Higgins to complete the distance.

They were joined by 186 other walkers.

Since 1988, a total of $424,070 has been raised for local charities.

The charities selected as recipients for money raised this year are PRIDE (Parents' Resource for Drug Abuse Education); Hope Homes for children, the Alan Vincent Smith Foundation, which is an AIDS education group; and Pembroke Community Skating Rink, which is in the process of being built.

A nine-mile practice walk was held yesterday, starting from Albouy's Point.

Although it is non-competitive, the best End-to-End time last year was four hours and thirty minutes, with the slowest time being nine hours and 26 minutes.

Anyone who wants to register for the walk can do so and pick up a pledge form at Sportseller in the Washington Mall.

Registration is free up until today at noon, and thereafter will cost $20.

PAULA ZAHN -- celebrity guest in Saturday's End-to-End Walk.