Friendly competition motivates some CROP Walk participants

Prosser and Grandview will gather for  their combined spring CROP Walk at 9 a.m., Saturday, March 19.  They will walk from Palacios Park outside Grandview on a pathway 6.2 miles to the City Park in Prosser.  The communities last did a walk in the fall of 2003, in conjunction with Sunnyside.

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., and a 10-K run may precede the walk for those interested.  Boy Scouts and Explorer Posts are handling logistics, said the Rev. Gary Wolfer of the United Methodist Church in Prosser.

There will be Methodists, Presbyterians, Lutherans and Disciples of Christ church members from both towns, as well as scouts, students and families from the community.

“Our goal is to have 100 walkers,” he said.  “The first time we had about 40.  Better promotion and involvement of youth should make the difference.”

Part of the impetus came from the Boy Scouts who wanted to do something in response to the tsunami.  The churches had begun talking about doing another CROP Walk and the Scouts wanted to join in.

An incentive for the boys beyond their interest, there is an effort in March to “do a good turn for America.” Gary said.  “Ten rather than 25 percent of the money raised will go to the local food bank, because organizers decided to do more to assist with tsunami relief efforts.”

For information, call 786-1097.

The Sunnyside CROP Walk will begin at 10 a.m., Saturday, April 23, starting at Chief Kamiakin Elementary School in Sunnyside. 

Grandview-Prosser and Sunnyside have set friendly inter-community challenges to encourage recruitment and fund raising.   

The Sunnyside Ministerial Association decided to move it to spring so more people could be involved than can participate in the fall during harvest.  They also hope to recruit 100 participants in the walk.

“It’s community rivalry for a good cause,” said Katie Haney, pastor of the Presbyterian Church and president of the ministerial association.  “It’s particularly relevant this year because of the need for development assistance after the tsunami.  Area churches have held other fund raisers and have prepared health kits.” 

For information, call 837-4314.

The Spokane CROP WALK Recruitment Meeting will be held at 6 p.m., Thursday, March 3, at Mission Community Presbyterian Church, 2103 E. Mission.  Church World Service/CROP regional director Lynn Magnuson from Seattle will be the speaker.

The Spokane CROP Walk registration and entertainment begin at noon, Sunday, April 24.  The walk starts at 1:15 p.m., at Martin Centre at Gonzaga University proceeds through Riverfront Park and back, and then following the Centennial Trail east to the Greene St. Bridge.

The next planning meetings are at 7 p.m., Thursdays, March 10 and 24, at Manito United Methodist Church, 3220 S. Grand.

Organizers plan to distribute CROP Walk fliers at the Bloomsday Training March 12 at Holy Family Hospital.  In addition, Arby’s restaurants use placemats with the CROP Walk story and information on participation.

Because April is Hunger Awareness Month, Bonnie Churchwell said that CROP walkers will again be asked to bring canned goods for local food outlets. 

One-fourth of funds raised are shared with local hunger relief organizations.  The rest of the funds support the relief and development work of Church World Service—or the global relief organization a walker designates.

For information, call 326-5656.




By Mary Stamp, Fig Tree editor - Copyright © March 2005