CROP walk rakes in fertile funds

Author: Dina Magaril

Middlebury held its annual "CROP walk" on the town green this past Sunday and followed a two-mile in-town route, in efforts to raise money to combat hunger in the United States and around the world. The event got off to a great start in spite of Sunday's rain showers and is one of hundreds of CROP walks that take place throughout U.S. cities in association with the Church World Services (CWS).

CROP, which stands for Christian Rural Overseas Program was started in 1946 by the Church World Service, a ministry that includes 36 Protestant, Orthodox and Anglican denominations in the U.S. "You can count on there being a CROP walk in some city across the nation on any given weekend," said Ellen McKay, the program coordinator of Middlebury's Scott Center for spiritual life and one of the event's organizers. The money raised during the walk will go towards hunger-fighting programs across the U.S., as well as towards international relief efforts of the Church World Services.

This year marked the 29th CROP walk in Middlebury. Walkers raised over $17,000 dollars last year. Though McKay says that the numbers are not out yet on how much they raised this year, 25 percent will go to local food programs and shelters, including local food pantries, food banks and other meal sites. Seventy-five percent will go to the CWS which will distribute the money to communities in need of clean water, to communities crippled by the AIDS epidemic and to families who are growing their own food.

Aside from the numerous CROP walks held to raise money for shelters, the CWS has also organized the Tools and Blankets Program, which works to supply victims of natural disasters such as earthquakes and most recently Hurricane Katrina, with emergency supplies and small loans as part of sustainable development programs. The CWS also runs the Kits program, which distributes health kits, school kits and baby kits that include necessities such as soap, toothpaste and band-aids to those in need of material supplies.

Over 200 Middlebury local residnts and college students came out to the green on Sunday, some wearing "Walking Together" T-shirts to symbolize that their walk to raise money for hunger is the same one that millions of people must make simply to survive. Stewart Professor of English and Environmental Studies John Elder "gave an inspiring talk just before the walkers got started," said Chaplain Laurie Jordan, who took part in planning the walk.

Students of the college came out for the cause as well, some serving as crossing guards and others walking with their teams as Hillel did. Rebecca Steinberg '08 organized the Hillel team, which consisted of six walkers and raised over $700 for MAZON, a Jewish organization dedicated to fighting hunger.

"Hunger is a problem so vast in our country and often goes unnoticed," said Steinberg.

Professor of English and American Literature Brett Millier was among the faculty participants at the event. Her association with the walk came through her church, the Champlain Valley Unitarian Society, which was one of the many Church groups that participated in the walk. When asked why she felt it necessary to attend the event, Millier echoed Steinberg's sentiments over the largely ignored issue of hunger.

"There is significant hunger and malnutrition in our community and it is largely invisible to college students and many well-fed local residents," said Millier. "Especially with fuel prices what they are and winter coming on, some families are going to have to choose between eating well and keeping warm. That shouldn't happen in this country or anywhere."

As for next year, the walk hopes to raise even more money and to include more student walkers. "Mostly [the CROP walk] has been a community event, said McKay, "but we would love it to be more on students' radar."

For more information on how to start a CROP walk in your own area visit www.cropwalk.org