7 News Belize

Rowan Will Walk
posted (July 11, 2012)
Rowan Garel, the fearless 14 year-old who is blind, has been featured in this newscast several times. He performed excellently on this year's Primary School Examination, and before that, he was thrust into the national limelight when he climbed Victoria Peak.

Tomorrow, he starts a walk from western to central Belize - 90 miles in five days. It is part of a campaign to raise awareness and funds for the Belize Center for the Visually Impaired, and tomorrow, he invites members of the public to join him as he starts off from the Benque Vejo Border.

We caught up with him before he left for Cayo and he seemed upbeat - as he always does:

Rowan Garel - Will Walk Across Belize
"I think that it will be challenging because it's really long distance but you're just - okay, granted, you're walking a really long time, but I think it will be a little easier than Victoria Peak."

Daniel Ortiz
"And do you think that you will have the support tomorrow from the Belizean public in this effort for the fundraising?"

Rowan Garel
"I hope so. We have no idea how many people will show up, and even if you don't want to walk the whole thing, you can walk a part of it. It's going to take 5 days starting tomorrow, and it's 92 miles."

Daniel Ortiz
"And how many miles will you walk per day?"

Rowan Garel
"We're looking at something like 18 to 20 miles a day."

Daniel Ortiz
"Have you done anything to prepare for this?"

Rowan Garel
"Yes, we've been walking some distance. I did the Cancer Walk. The other day, we walked from the Burrel Boom cut-off to our house."

Daniel Ortiz
"How was it for you in these practice runs?"

Rowan Garel
"It's okay, to be honest, I'm not really focused on my legs, I am focusing on the birds and other things that I will be hearing."

Joe Garel - Father of Rowan
"We're going to be leaving tomorrow morning at 5 o'clock from the Benque border with Melchor, and we're going to try to make it all the to Santa Elena, San Ignacio - that area. This next morning, we'll get up, and wherever we finished, we'll start from there, move on, and hopefully get to Belmopan. The following day, it's from Belmopan, we'll probably get to somewhere around the Belize Zoo. The following day, we hope to make it a little past Hattieville, and then on Monday morning, we'll try and see if we can get into Belize City, mid-morning for the opening of summer camp."

BCVI hopes to raise $100,000 from the Walk Across Belize. If you'd like to assist you can contact BCVI at 636 -1130...

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