For the first time ever, State Street was the principal sponsor of Oxfam Trailwalker Belgium held August 30-31 across the High Fens region to benefit Oxfam Solidarity. State Street's inaugural sponsorship is an extension of its long-standing support for Oxfam's fundraising events worldwide. For 10 consecutive years, State Street has been the principal sponsor of Oxfam Trailwalker in Hong Kong, and for the past seven years the principal sponsor of Trailwalker events in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia. State Street is also the principal sponsor of Trailwalker UK.

Six hundred people or 150 teams of four participated in Trailwalker Belgium this year and pledged to raise at least €1,500 per team. Team Fura was the fastest team this year, finishing first in a time of 12 hours, 14 minutes—30 minutes faster than the second place team. State Street’s own Erwin Ramaekers led Team Fura and its team members Geert Camerlinckx, Martin Thoré and Koen Van Roey to victory.

Eight State Street teams, made up of employees from State Street’s Brussels, Amsterdam and Luxembourg offices, participated in the race. The Boston Clipper won the prize for largest fundraising and was led by State Street employee Junaed Kabir. Employees also volunteered along the course to cheer on their co-workers and other participants.

Oxfam Solidarity envisions a world where everyone has a place, regardless of their belief, skin color or sex. For more than 40 years, Oxfam Solidarity has worked to ensure that everyone's basic rights are respected and to find long-lasting solutions for poverty, injustice and exclusion. Oxfam Solidarity is a member of Oxfam International.

This year’s Trailwalker UK was one for the record books with 502 teams, of which 495 finished with at least one member still walking. A total of 287 complete teams finished the race and 83 percent of individuals crossed the finish line. In addition to the 2000 walkers, there were also as many volunteers and support crew stationed along the race.

The Queen's Own Gurkha Logistics Regiment team finished first in a time of 10 hours, 13 minutes. The MK Belles was the fastest women’s team, finishing in 20 hours, 44 minutes. State Street contributed 25 teams, consisting of employees from across offices in the UK as well as the Channel Islands, Ireland, Paris and Boston. The Dutch Cheese, made up of Mark Banwell, Andy Irons, Edouard Stirling and Dan Wiener, was the fastest State Street team, finishing in just over 15 hours.

The most amazing result was the combined fundraising effort of all the teams, which resulted in more than US$1.5 million raised to fight poverty around the world. State Street teams alone raised nearly US$100,000.

Throughout the event, walkers were supported by a team of 40 State Street volunteers, comprised of employees as well as a few friends and family members. The support team manned the checkpoints along the route and ensured that each walker received refreshments, drinks and words of encouragement as they arrived at each checkpoint. Several supporters also acted as drivers and navigators, transporting kitbags, supporters and supplies from one checkpoint to another.

Oxfam GB is a development, relief, and campaigning organization that works with others to find lasting solutions to poverty and suffering around the world. To achieve the greatest impact, Oxfam works on three inter-linking fronts: saving lives by responding swiftly to provide aid, support and protection during emergencies; developing programs and solutions that empower people to work their way out of poverty; and campaigning to achieve lasting change. Oxfam focuses its support on several human rights and social justice causes, including education, HIV/AIDS, gender equality and democracy.

Since 1993, State Street has annually recognized the outstanding volunteer efforts of individual employees. The Chairman’s Awards for Exceptional Volunteerism are presented to employees who make significant and sustained volunteer contributions to nonprofit charitable organizations in their communities. The 2007 Awards were presented by State Street Chairman and CEO Ron Logue to Nicolas Crochet, Xioamei Jia and William Zamzow at an event at the Wang Theatre in Boston, March 12, 2008.

The award program emphasizes the company’s commitment to corporate citizenship and positive change in the communities where it conducts business. Considered among State Street’s most prestigious employee honors, the awards provide a $10,000 grant to the organizations for which the recipients volunteer their time and service.

• Nicolas Crochet was recognized for his work with Bruxelles Sud in Brussels, Belgium. Bruxelles Sud helps to meet the needs of its community’s most disadvantaged people by supplying them with hot food, clothes and medical needs. Nicolas’s steadfast commitment to the homeless goes beyond providing basic needs—he views his time with them as an opportunity for the homeless to have a voice. By offering them a relationship where they can talk, listen, exchange ideas and try to find solutions to their problems, Nicolas provides these underserved individuals with a greater sense of hope. Nicolas has engaged his State Street colleagues in his efforts not only to help prepare and serve food, but also to take the time to speak and listen to those who might otherwise be disregarded.

• Xiaomei Jia is the co-chair of State Street’s Community Support Program committee in Hangzhou, China. Xiaomei led numerous projects with the Shanghai Pudong School for mentally disabled children, in which the students played sports games with volunteers from the State Street Technology Center. These projects have allowed the children to show the world outside the school their spirit and skills while gaining self-confidence. Xiaomei also spearheaded the grassroots Yunnan Donation Program to provide financial and spiritual support to students from poverty-stricken families in southwest China. Under Xiaomei’s leadership, the Yunnan Donation Program has grown from sponsoring eight students to supporting a total of 63 students.

• William Zamzow was recognized for his commitment to organizations that support underprivileged families in the Greater Boston area. Most notably, William has served as a catalyst in dramatically upgrading Christmas in the City’s (CITC) Adopt-A-Family program, which connects families transitioning out of shelters to independent living by more than tripling the number of volunteers available to help arrange housing, source legal assistance or simply offering encouragement. With William’s support, CITC has also been able to formalize standards and practices and sourcing and develop appropriate training for all Adopt-A-Family volunteers. For the past seven years, William has also been an instrumental volunteer on behalf of Fathers & Families, including researching, writing and distributing a weekly list of activities appropriate for children and parents and acting as an advocate for the organization.

State Street's sponsorship of Oxfam Trailwalker events around the world continued in 2006 with the Hong Kong race, held the weekend of November 10-12. For the eighth consecutive year, State Street was the principal sponsor of the 100-kilometer (62 mile) fundraiser walk to benefit Oxfam Hong Kong. More than 4,000 walkers and 3,000 volunteers participated with a goal of raising HK$20 million for Oxfam's support of disadvantaged people and emergency relief programs in Asia and Africa.

State Street Vice Chairman Jay Hooley and Hannah Grove, senior vice president of Global Marketing, officiated at the opening ceremony. More than 1,000 teams of four started the race along the MacLehose Trail, located on the Kowloon peninsula of Hong Kong. Seventeen State Street employees participated in the race and 25 volunteered their services along the trail.

State Street is also the principal sponsor of the "Overcoming the Odds Award," presented to an individual who overcame personal obstacles to participate and complete the race. The winner will receive a HK$3,900 cash award, and State Street will also donate $39,000 to an Oxfam development project selected by the winner.

The Group 4 Securicor Team won the 2006 race, finishing in 12 hours, 11 minutes. This is the fourth year in a row that Securicor has won the Trailwalker. The 1 st runner-up, Fire Services Beyond Limits, completed the trail in 12 hours, 52 minutes.

Oxfam Hong Kong is an independent development and relief agency based in Hong Kong. The organization works with poor people regardless of race, sex, religion or politics in their struggle against poverty, distress and suffering. Its vision is for a world where people are equally assured of their rights with dignity and respect, including access to food, shelter, employment and health care, in a sustainable manner. Oxfam Hong Kong is a member of Oxfam International.