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TORONTO, ONTARIO and HORSESHOE VALLEY, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - July 21, 2011) - This weekend marks the third Oxfam Trailwalker in Canada; a global annual event in fifteen countries in which teams of four are challenged to walk 100 km in 48 hours. Each team has not only committed to raising $2,500 for Oxfam, but will start together, stick together, and finish the 100 km trek together - incomplete teams are not permitted to cross the finish line.

What is Oxfam Trailwalker?

The annual event first began in Australia and Hong Kong in 1981 where Trailwalker was part of a special military training exercise. Now, celebrating its 30^th Anniversary this year, Oxfam Trailwalker has spread globally and is so popular in some countries that participation is by invitation only. To learn more, please visit: http://www.oxfamtrailwalker.ca.

This year, the Oxfam Trailwalker Canada will take place this weekend, July 22^nd to the 24^th, on the Ganaraska Hiking Trail starting at Snow Valley Ski Resort near Barrie, Ontario and ends in the City of Orillia.

To lend a helping hand, teams are joined by a support crew, who will provide food, refreshments, encouragement, and clean socks, as well as skilled student nurses from Georgian College for first aid support.

"This is my one must-do fundraising fitness challenge this summer," says Amanda Quinn, who is participating for a second year. "I do it because Oxfam believes that ending poverty begins with women's rights, and part of that involves the issue of accessibility.

"Imagine being too afraid to turn on your faucet. Lack of access to resources such as water is a growing concern in many of the country's Oxfam works in and for millions of women and children who cannot access water safely, that's their reality. This year, I'm walking for them," adds Amanda.

Oxfam's new campaign, GROW, brings to light that almost one billion women and girls who are thirsty and hungry; not because of lack, but because of the deep injustice in current global food systems.

Oxfam Trailwalker also raises funds to support emergency response programs in Haiti, Japan, and the Ivory Coast to name a few. Oxfam is often the first to respond to natural disasters and humanitarian crises with non-partisan on-the-ground aid in the form of food and medical supplies. For more information, visit http://www.oxfam.ca.