Hmm, another "walking for diabetes" fundraiser in the news. But, what's this? Here's a guy walking with a giant inflatable rubber globe. Novel, huh? Check out the picture at right.Erik Bendl, aka "World Guy," is walking 416 miles from his home in Louisville, Kentucky, all the way to Pittsburgh. The plan is to raise money for the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Just as important, Bendl hopes to raise awareness about the condition. Every step of the way, Bendl is rolling his eight-foot-tall globe too. Bendl got the globe from a summer camp, whose staff had no use for it.
Bendl is the son of the late Kentucky state Rep. Gerta Bendl, who suffered from diabetes. Bendl was inspired to do something not only because of his mom's experience, but also by watching lots of other friends deal with the condition. He's encountering lots of good support along the way in the form of conversation, kind words, and meals. "I'm almost brought to tears by people's kindness," he told the Cincinnati Post.
Bendl and the rubber globe are accompanied by Bendl's faithful dog, Nice, who is probably thinking "this is the longest walk pops has ever taken me on!"
Click here to visit Erik Bendl's MySpace blog. He also has a website where supporters are invited to send in a donation for the ADA. Want to talk to the man himself? Go ahead and give him a buzz at (502) 408-5772.
MySpace, YouTube®, nowadays anybody with a PC and a mission has a fighting chance. Those of us, like Tim McGee, have learned how to get the word out when it counts. He founded 
