Raising money for land preservation and endangered species protection while promoting environmental awareness, the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Eagle Walkers will take on their 20^th annual 200-mile walk across Wisconsin beginning Friday, March 16.

This year, in celebration of 20 years of dedication to conservation, six Eagle Walk alumni will join nine UWSP students as they spend their spring break walking from Stevens Point to Glen Haven. The journey will begin at 8 a.m. at the University Center, finishing at the Eagle Valley Nature Preserve nine days later on March 24.

The walkers will travel the same route as previous years, staying in community buildings, churches, schools and town halls. Along the route, many people provide the group with meals, snacks, encouragement and hospitality.

The first stop will be Wisconsin Rapids, followed by Monroe Center on March 17, New Lisbon on March 18, Hillsboro on March 19, Richland Center on March 20, Blue River on March 21, Woodman on March 22 and Bloomington on March 23.

Their last stop, the Eagle Valley Nature Preserve, is a 1,400-acre natural area along the Mississippi River that is used by bald eagles and other raptors as a winter roost. Now owned by the Kohler Corporation, various groups have protected the area for over 20 years.

The money each walker raises in the form of donations goes to an organization dedicated to the same goals of the walkers. This year�s recipient, the same as last year, is the Wisconsin Chapter of the Nature Conservancy. Last year, walkers raised nearly $3,000 for the preservation of critical ecological systems. The state of Wisconsin matches the amount raised each year.

Contributions for the Eagle Walk may be made out to the UWSP Environmental Council and sent to the council�s attention at: Campus Activities Office, Box 38 University Center, UWSP, Stevens Point, WI 54481. For more information, contact Mary Jablonski at (715) 346-9422.

-30-

ch/vc/EagleWalk01