World | India
US mission staff take spirit of service to the countryside
100-km trek in 48 hours to raise funds for the poor
- By S. Narendra, Correspondent
- Published: 00:00 February 7, 2012
Mumbai: Four American diplomats from the US Consulate General in Mumbai will embark upon an unusual mission in the southern state of Karnataka on Friday, when they begin a 100-kilometre walk to raise "money for people living in poverty across India".
Set to accomplish their mission in 48 hours, the diplomats will set off on their trail from the Cauvery Sangama, the confluence of river Cauvery near Srirangapatna town, pass through several rugged and beautiful villages and finish at Bidadi, a town situated on the Bangalore-Mysore expressway.
The four mission staff participating in Oxfam's Trailwalker Event are: US consul-general Peter Haas, who assumed office on August 1 last year, and consular officers Evan Morrisey, Roland Minez and Dan Gedacht.
Inspiration
Having labelled their initiative ‘Paul Revere's Midnight Walk' in honour of a notable name from American history, the team members are seeking to invoke Paul Revere's spirit of activism.
On April 18, 1775, the eve of the American revolution, Paul Revere rode his horse throughout the night alerting the American militia that British troops were about to attack and warning Boston's residents that they should prepare to defend their homes.
"Paul Revere's spirit of activism — and the fact that we will have to walk all through the night in order to finish in time — inspired the selection of our team name," consul-general Haas explains.
Explaining the motivation for the special mission, consular officer Morrisey said: "We love India, and work day in and day out in the US Consulate Mumbai to advance the India-US partnership through providing visa services, promoting bilateral trade and investment, and connecting with the Indian people."
Consular officer Minez pitched in: "All four of us enjoy being outdoors as well. We saw this effort as a way we could show our love of India while simultaneously seeing more of India's beautiful countryside and supporting the worthy cause championed by Oxfam India."
Training regimen
Dwelling upon the team's training efforts, consular officer Gedacht said: "Along with various friends and supporters, our team has conducted several training hikes in the hills of Maharashtra. We completed 40 kilometres on our last training hike and are looking forward to a challenging but rewarding experience in Bangalore."
News Editor's choice
-
Ukraine leaders fight over Russian language
Violence erupts in Ukraine parliament over a bill to allow use of Russian language in courts, hospitals
-
CBSE: 100% success in many UAE schools
6,000 students from 53 schools meet grade expectations in examinations
-
'I can’t believe he is not going to come back'
Seventeen-year-old boy went missing in Dubai during a visit from Pakistan
