Community Corner
Annual CROP Hunger Walk Seeks Walkers and Donations
The goal is to exceed last year's walkers and funds in the fight of hunger around the world.
More than 100 walkers are expected to participate in the 28th Annual Channooka Area 5K CROP Hunger Walk October 2.
The Channooka Area joins some 2,000 cities and towns nationwide that are doing CROP Hunger Walks this year around the theme “Ending Hunger One Step at a Time.” Walkers will walk in solidarity with the millions of neighbors around the world who have to walk to live.
This year’s walk will begin at 1:30 p.m. at the . Registration starts at 1 p.m.
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Prior to the walk, participants solicit donations, said Andy Vaveris, coordinator of the Channooka Area CROP Walk. However, it’s not required. Walkers can donate funds and register to walk the day of the event, he said.
The 3.1-mile course will wind through nearby subdivisions and near downtown area before returning back to the church.
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Vaveris said the group’s goal is to have 150 walkers and to raise at least $15,000 in funds to help stop hunger and poverty in our community and around the world.
One such walker is Amy Geldean, a 13-year-old resident of Minooka who is in eighth grade at Channahon Junior HIgh School.
"My goal is to raise $1,500," Geldean said.
Currently she has $390 raised for the charity.
A portion of the funds raised will go to Channooka Wish, Minooka United Methodist Church Food Pantry, Kendall County Food Pantry and Good Samaritan program.
Groups currently fighting together to end local and world-wide hunger are the Channahon United Methodist Church, Minooka United Methodist Church, , , BETA Club, BETA Club and l National Honor Society.
Last year’s walk had 90 walkers who raised approximately $11,053. Twenty-five percent went to local food pantries and 75 percent went towards disaster relief and self-help development projects throughout the world, including farming and digging wells for water.
Donations are accepted whether someone walks or not, Vaveris said. Some individuals who are physically not able to walk the distance can still be present at the event as a “spirit walker,” and encourage other walkers to complete the walk.
In addition to supporting local food pantries, the CROP Hunger Walk also changes lives around the world. The CROP Hunger Walks are making a big difference in East Africa. With the number of hungry growing across Africa because of harsh economic conditions, Church World Service’s food security program in East Africa is assisting marginalized households and communities to ensure access to sufficient food year-round.
The walks also played a role in the earthquake recovery in Haiti, flood recovery in Tennessee in the continuing saga of U.S. Gulf Coast rebuilding.
“The impact of this program is very wonderful,” Vaveris said.
For more information on the walk, contact Nancy Geldean at 815-467-2837 or her email nsgeldean@aol.com. Or visit www.cropwalkonline.org/ChannookaAreaIL.
