 The walk begins at 1:30 p.m. in Scully Park. Walkers will be dropped
off at varying locations and will collect canned and nonperishable
goods from the homes along their route. This is a departure from the
set route all participants walked in past years. The food drive is
in addition to the pledges that all walkers are encouraged to
collect prior to the date of the walk.In addition, grain
elevators are encouraged to donate grain in commemoration of the
farmers who shared their harvest, beginning 60 years ago.
As the fundraising arm of Church World Service,
CROP feeds hungry
people everywhere, including Logan County. In fact, 25 percent of
the money raised at the walk goes to Central Illinois Economic
Development Corp. for Community Action in Logan County.
In 2006, 21 CROP walkers and other local supporters raised
$4,875. The event drew broad support from Lincoln churches. First
United Methodist Church had the most walkers at 11; St. John United
Church of Christ collected the most in pledges; and Sarah Rossetti
from Trinity Episcopal Church raised the most as an individual with
$510.
Tonita Reifsteck, Logan County CROP chair, said: "As we enter
this new school year, we are reminded of how essential good
nutrition is to learning, and yet more than 840 million people in
the world are malnourished. … In our own USA, 33 million people --
including 13 million children -- live in U.S. households that
experience hunger. This represents 10 percent of the households in
the USA."
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Reifsteck noted that the local need is growing. "In the past year
the need has increased over 25 percent," she said, "with 1,101 more
individuals than in 2005 needing the services of CIEDC." Community
Action this year cut the number of days Meals on Wheels are
delivered to seniors. In addition, Reifsteck said, pantry shelves
are in constant need of supplies.
Other members of the Logan County CROP organization are treasurer
Rosemary Apel, Nancy Gehlbach, Sara Rossetti, Ken Schwab and Kenneth
Schweitzer. Walkers and donors can reach Reifsteck at 217-732-9796.
CROP is 60 years old this year. Beginning in 1947 CROP collected
food commodities, primarily grain, and shipped them overseas.
Originally the acronym denoted the Christian Rural Overseas Program.
It now stands for Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty and
collects primarily money, but the mission continues to be sharing
with the needy throughout the world.
[Text from news release received]
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