Walking West 2008 Press Release
The Association on American Indian Affairs (AAIA) would like to announce the departure of Ed and Liz Morgan from the Isle of Palms, Charleston, South Carolina, on March 25th, 2008 as part of the Walking West 08 Hike from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. The hike will end in Seaside, Oregon on or about November 1, 2008.
Keeping their “American Heritage” theme in mind, Ed and Liz are walking across the United States following historical routes, Indian trails, westward expansion and exploration routes and old rail routes to raise funds for AAIA.
“We thought walking across the country would be a good opportunity to increase awareness for some cause. Over the years we have developed a special interest in the American Indian and feel a kindred spirit with them. We feel that the American Indian is very much underappreciated and…we hope we can increase people’s awareness of the American Indian. Thus we decided to research Indian related organizations. While a number of organizations are obviously making strong efforts in assisting American Indian families, it was not until we became aware of the AAIA that we found an organization that is not only trying to assist the American Indian but is actively trying to preserve their heritage and culture.”
The Association on American Indian Affairs is a national 85 year old organization with offices in Rockville, Maryland and Sisseton, South Dakota. The Association, which is governed by an all-Native Board of Directors, has played a critical role in a host of landmark events that benefited Native people. Our programs currently focus in the areas of Youth (e.g., scholarships, Indian child welfare, summer camps and diabetes prevention education) and Preservation of Tribal Cultures and Communities (e.g., sacred lands protection, repatriation of human remains and funerary and sacred objects, Native language preservation, federal recognition of unrecognized tribes and funding for tribal governments). By working in the areas of youth and the preservation of tribal cultures and communities through our programs scholarship, Indian child welfare, summer camp, diabetes prevention education, sacred land protection, repatriation, Native language preservation and federal recognition programs, AAIA is promoting and providing the critical elements that Native American Indian children and families need to live happy, healthy and productive lives. Learn more about our initiatives by further exploring our website, just like Ed and Liz did.
Ed and Liz Morgan are experienced backpackers and hikers from Charleston, South Carolina. They have taught backpacking, trip planning, land navigation and outdoor safety, led trips with the Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission and started a backpacking group with the Sierra Club. They have already embarked on several extended backpacking trips previously, including trips to Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa, from Mount Whitney to Death Valley in California, the Continental Divide and Colorado Trail and several other areas of the United States.
Please join Ed and Liz and walk with them while they are in your area. To learn more and to sponsor Ed and Liz in their fundraising efforts, see the Walking West 08 Hike page on this website (in progress) or Ed and Liz’s trail journal at www.trailjournals.com (type in Morgan in the search bar and select Liz & Ed) or send your contribution directly to AAIA at 2009 SD Hwy. 10, Suite B, Sisseton, SD 57262. Please reference Walking West 08 Hike when making your contribution.