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Walking and Running For CRY

DALLAS

Rain or sunshine, hundreds of people in Atlanta, San Francisco Bay Area, and Dallas will hit the trails on two October mornings to raise funds for CRY that has won the support of hundreds of professionals and students across America and Canada. In recent months, CRY is also helping many mainstream American organizations.

The Bay Area CRY WALK'99 is expected to attract over 1,000 participants and at least another 500 volunteers and spectators. The organizers say the walk in San Francisco and other cities, like other CRY fund-raisers, are not just for the sake of raising money. They seek to mobilize South Asian and mainstream communities in the cause for underprivileged children, drawing out students, professionals, athletes and families.

Many CRY volunteers say they are impressed with the efforts of the 18-year-old organization in not only helping more than 700,000 children through over 300 grass-roots organizations in India but also with the transparency of the organization.

"We know where our dollars are going and who is getting the benefit," says one volunteer.

CRY, recognized worldwide for its child-relief work, has received support from AT&T, Ford & Pillsbury Foundations, Citibank, MCI etc. in the past. It has also received support from all walks of life in India, including the art community (resulting in its beautiful greeting cards), singers like Jagjit Singh and classical dancers like Raja and Radha Reddy.

The walks and running events are also accompanied by picnics. For instance, in San Francisco, kids will enjoy a carnival complete with games, contests, face-painting, mehndi (henna tattoo) and other activities.

In Atlanta, Georgia (http://advantage2you.com/cryatlanta/walk99/) the CRY Walk/Run '99 -- A 5 km walk or a 3 km run -- will be held on October 2 at Georgia Tech Campus (Home of 1996 Olympics).

In San Francisco, San Francisco-San Jose-Bay Area, California (http://www.bok.net/~cryba/events/walk99/index.html), the CRY Walk 99 -- A 3 km /5 km /10km walk will be held on October 10 at Vasona County Park, Los Gatos.

In Dallas-Fortworth, Texas (http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Lane/9224/walk99.html), it will involve a 5 km walk or a 3 km run. It will be held on October 10 at Brookhaven College, Farmers Branch.

The funds raised from this event will be used provide financial and logistic support to Child Development Initiatives focused on underprivileged children in India and the US.

Beneficiaries include the Institute of Child Health, Calcutta; Streetcats Foundation, San Francisco; Day Shelter for Women and Children, Atlanta; and Jeffries Street Learning Center, Dallas.

All donations to CRY Inc. are tax-exempt in the US under IRS code 501(c)3. Tax ID:22-3122761.

If you are interested in becoming a CRY volunteer, check out the details at www.us.cry.org.

If you would like to post any information about forthcoming events or community happenings, please email the details to bettypais@aol.com

Information and photographs can also be mailed to Betty Pais at 87-52 108th Street, 2nd Floor, Richmond Hill, NY 11418-2229, USA.

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