York Town News
Local CROP Walk seeks to help the hungry close to home and far away
By Jennifer L. Saunders
YORK - With donations at what may be an all-time low for the York Community Food Pantry and other service organizations, local residents are invited to join with parishioners from several area churches in making strides to help those in need as part of the Seventh Annual CROP Walk this Sunday.CROP stands for Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty, and the theme of this year's walk, as chosen by Church World Service, is "We Walk Because They Walk."
In choosing that theme, the focus was on the reality that people in impoverished situations walk all the time - whether its to gather fuel to cook or to warm their homes, to gather food or to collect water for drinking or washing.
Church World Service is an agency that helps provide food, shelter and other disaster relief in the United States and around the world and, during this year's Mother's Day flood, Church World Service came to York to help residents in need.
The goal of CROP Walk, the organizers explained, is to join hands with those in need, at least in spirit. Locally, the walk is being supported by First Parish Congregational Church, St. Christopher Church, St. George's Episcopal Church, Union Congregational Church and the United Methodist Church of York-Ogunquit.
"We are so fortunate to have such great church communities in York," said Ann D'Aquila, a member of St. Christopher's Social Justice and Peace Commission, who is serving as coordinator of this year's CROP Walk in York.
In addition, she noted, churches outside of York are urging their members to join the CROP Walk.
D'Aquila explained that this is the first year St. Christopher's has served as host for the event, and she is hopeful for a very strong turnout based on the support the event has been getting so far.
Anyone can walk, D'Aquila stressed, and local residents are urged to join their neighbors from across town when the walk departs from St. Christopher's this Sunday, Oct. 22, at 1:30 p.m.
The Seventh Annual York Community CROP Walk for worldwide hunger and emergency relief will also include a local component, as this year a total of 25 percent of the proceeds will be donated to the York Community Food Pantry and the Table of Plenty in York as well as Footprints Food Pantry in Kittery.
"CROP Walk is a wonderful opportunity for us to work together to raise both awareness about and money to fight hunger globally and locally," D'Aquila said. "With everyone's help, we hope to have at least 100 walkers on Oct. 22, and to exceed the $2,500 we raised from last year's walk."
Organizers estimate that more than 2.5 million people across the nation have either walked or sponsored a CROP Walk participant to provide help for people in more than 90 countries. This year marks the 34th anniversary of Church World Service's CROP Walk nationwide.
Sunday's event will feature a four-mile walk through York Harbor and York Village, with refreshments available at St. Christopher's at the walk's end.
"As much as raising money, it's also for awareness of hunger - both around the world and locally," D'Aquila said, acknowledging that area food banks continue to struggle to provide for local residents in need.
The walk will be held along York Street and Long Sands Road, and anyone is welcome to walk or sponsor a walker. D'Aquila said participants are asked to make a donation in any amount of their choice. Registration will begin at 1 p.m. at St. Christopher Church on Sunday, and forms are available at the local churches sponsoring this year's CROP Walk.
