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Happenings in the Keweenaw Peninsula October 5, 2001 Text © 2001 Michele Anderson

Crop Walk to raise funds for world, local hunger

HANCOCK -- To raise funds combating hunger locally and in the world, local residents will join in a five-mile circular walk between Hancock and Houghton in the annual Crop Walk this Sunday, Oct. 7, beginning at 2 p.m. at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Hancock.

Local residents walk to raise money for world hunger during a previous Crop Walk. (Photo courtesy First United Methodist Church of Hancock)

Sponsored by local churches in conjunction with Church World Service, the Crop Walk raises money to help places all over the world provide food, clothing and shelter in cases of disaster, famine, flood, hurricanes and other events that destroy food crops. The local effort also contributes 25 percent of money collected to the local food supplies provided by the Salvation Army and St. Vincent De Paul food pantries, the Calumet-Laurium-Keweenaw (CLK) food pantry and Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly.

"We're going to have our van following the people for safety," said Cathy Aten of Little Brothers.

The Salvation Army vehicle will also follow the walkers, she noted. The safety escorts will pick up anyone who is unable to do the full five miles. In addition, Aten said, Little Brothers volunteers will provide snacks of baked goods, juice and coffee for the walkers at the halfway point, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Houghton. From there, the walkers will return to Hancock for the second part of the walk.

The Rev. Eugene Bacon, pastor of the First United Methodist Church in Hancock, said the local Crop Walk, one of 2,000 locally organized events sponsored by Church World Service to fight hunger, has been going on for about 10 years in the Copper Country area. Bacon said this is an ecumenical event, and church groups of all faiths – both Christian and non-Christian – walk together. Anyone is welcome to participate.

"Funds are not only to alleviate hunger directly but are used to teach people to help themselves," Bacon said.

The funds can be used to provide new agricultural techniques and tools, to help in digging wells and to introduce new types of crops that might grow better in their region of the world, he added.

Virginia Vairus of Mohawk, secretary at Hancock's First United Methodist Church, said people who wish to participate in the walk can pick up walkers' forms at local churches to take pledges for Crop Walk contributions. Individual walkers can also give a donation to participate.

For more information call the First United Methodist Church at (906) 482-4190.

To learn more about the Crop Walk and Church World Service, see the Church World Service Web site.