CROP Walk	Date
Adams County	May 4
Akron	April 13
Elyria	April 19
Hamilton	April 20
Hartville	April 27
Hillsboro	April 27
Ironton	June 7
Lakewood	May 18
Madison	May 4
Oberlin	April 27
Shelby	April 27
Smithville	May 4
Wellington	April 27

Back to top

CROP Walk	Date
Akron (Goodyear Heights)	October 14
Akron (West)	October 21
Alliance	October 7
Amherst	September 30
Ashland	October 14
Ashtabula	September 30
Athens	October 14
Aurora	October 7
Avon Lake	October 14
Barlow	October 21
Beavercreek	September 16
Bellefontaine	October 14
Bluffton	October 7
Bowling Green	October 7
Bryan  (Special Event)	TBA
Bucyrus	October 7
Geauga County	September 30
Cambridge	October 14
Canal Fulton	October 14
Canal Winchester	September 30
Canton	September 30
Centerburg	October 7
Chillicothe	October 21
Cincinnati (Mt Auburn)	September 15
Cincinnati (Western Hills)	October 7
Circleville	November 4
Cleveland Hts/Shaker Hts	October 14
Columbiana	October 7
Columbus	October 14
Conneaut	September 22
Cortland	October 14
Dayton	October 13
Defiance	October 7
Delaware	October 7
Dublin	October 14
East Palestine	October 7
Fairborn	October 14
Findlay	October 7
Fredericktown	October 14
Galion	October 7
Gallipolis	September 30
Garrettsville	October 7
Geauga County (Burton)	September 30
Gibsonburg	October 14
Greenville	October 14
Grove City	October 21
Hartville	September 23
Hiram	October 7
Hubbard	October 7
Kent	October 14
Kinsman	October 7
Lakewood	October 7
Lancaster	October 14
Lewisburg	October 14
Lima	October 13
Lisbon	October 7
London	October 7
Louisville	October 7
Lyons	October 7
Mansfield	October 7
Marietta	Spring 08
Marion	October 28
Medina	October 7
Mentor/Painesville	September 30
Milford	October 7
Mogadore	October 14
Mt. Gilead	October 7
Mount Vernon	October 14
Napoleon	October 7
Navarre (Fairless SD)	October 7
Nellie Chapel - RVMA	October 21
New Bremen	October 14
New Carlisle	September 16
New Concord	October 7
New Middletown	October 7
Newark	October 21
North Lima	October 7
Norwalk	October 7
Orrville	October 7
Oxford	September 15
Paris	October 21
Piqua	October 14
Pleasant Hill	October 7
Portsmouth	October 21
Portage County (K/R Trail)	October 14
Portage County (SE)	September 23
Sandusky	October 7
Seville	October 14
Shadyside	October 7
Shandon	October 7
Southern Hills	October 7
Spencer, WV	TBA
Spencerville	October 7
Springboro	October 7
Wittenberg	September 23
Strasburg	October 7
Sugarcreek	October 14
Toledo	October 7
Van Wert	September 15
Vickery	October 7
Wadsworth	October 7
Wapakoneta Area	October 27
Warren	October 7
Waverly	September 16
West Lafayette	October 14
West Milton	October 14
Westerville	October 14
Willoughby	October 7
Wittenberg	September 23
Xenia	September 30
Youngstown	October 14
Zanesville	October 14

Back to top

In July of 2007, Rachel Kauffman and Susan Givler, long-time CROP Hunger Walk participants in Bellefontaine, Ohio, were discussing how important the CROP Hunger Walk was to their community.

“It used to be so great to see the churches come together to help put an end to hunger. Then it was sad to see that the interest in the CROP Walk had dwindled to the point where there wasn’t even a walk held in 2006,” said Rachel.

Susan and Rachel decided to coordinate the CROP Hunger Walk in Bellefontaine and to give it a new twist: a Grandparent and Grandchild Walk.

“It is important to us that we pass on this commitment of serving others to the younger generation,” said Susan.

The Grandparent and Grandchild Walk was exactly what was needed to bring new life to the Bellefontaine CROP Hunger Walk. Eleven grandparent/grandchildren sets participated in the walk, raising over $2,500. But the enthusiasm didn’t end there, the entire community got involved and over 200 walkers raised over $23,000.

That was an increase of 1050% over the last time they walked in 2005!

Photos of the Bellefontaine CROP Hunger Walk.

Back to top

CROP Walk raises funds to fight hunger

Under the leadership of Darrel Acker, the Wapakoneta CROP Hunger Walk was in memory of Pastor Tom Roberts.

By ANDREA POTEET
Staff Writer
Wapakoneta Daily News

For the third year, members of six churches came together to raise awareness and money for hunger and poverty in nations across the world and in the homes of their neighbors and friends Saturday.

But this year Wapakoneta’s branch of the CROP (Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty) Walk had a new name and a new route.

The Walk was re-christened the Tom Roberts Memorial CROP Walk in memory of the late Rev. Tom Roberts, the former pastor of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church who died in July of brain cancer.

“It’s really great that we can do this for him,” said co-organizer Becky Jordan, a member of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church. “He was an amazing man.” The Walk is a national event that began in North Dakota in 1969, but Roberts brought it to Wapakoneta three years ago.

“He came to the (Wapakoneta Area) Ministerial Association and said, ‘You know folks, this is something we can do together,’” said the Rev. Greg Roberts, pastor of Salem United Methodist Church. “We’re always looking for ecumenical things to do together.”

Parishioners from St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, First United Methodist, St. Paul United Church of Christ, Salem United Methodist, Moulton Trinity Lutheran, and St. Joseph Catholic Church met Saturday in the store’s parking lot to snack on donuts provided by City Bakery, granola bars, fruit, and other treats before starting the 2-mile Walk through a neighborhood known as the Flower streets behind Miller’s Corral. The Walk passed in front of Robert’s house.

Walkers collected pledges to donate to the cause.

Some donated their own money.

One hundred-eleven walkers took part in the Wapakoneta event this year, more than the first two year’s combined total of 110.

The proceeds were split between national and local causes. Of the money raised, 12.5 percent went to God’s Storehouse in Wapakoneta, another 12.5 percent was donated to Mercy Unlimited and 75 went to Church World Service to be distributed to overseas ministries.

Mercy Unlimited Executive Director Tammy Brown said raising awareness is more important than raising funds for local causes

“It’s really not about the money,” Brown said. “It’s about letting people know there’s kids in America who go hungry.”

“The importance is to increase awareness of local and national hunger issues here at the local level,” co-organizer Darrel Acker said.

“We have an overabundance,” said Robin Klock, who is Christian education director of First English Lutheran Church. “That way we share the love of God. Pastor (Tom) Roberts would say it’s important that we spread the love of God through what we do.”

Back to top

Chillicothe, Ohio -- Chillicothe added its name to the list of Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty on Sunday, October 21, 2007.  On a beautiful October, Sunday afternoon, the CROP Hunger Walk was held in downtown Chillicothe.  Throughout the United States, over 2,000 CROP Hunger Walks are held each year, raising over $15 million dollars to help put an end to hunger and poverty both locally and around the world.

Rev. Carol Davis, one of the organizers of the walk, said the path taken by the walkers was one that passes by many downtown churches.  “As I was brainstorming about ways we could encourage more people to participate in the CROP Hunger Walk, I thought that it would be a great idea to have a church tour.  That way, people would have the opportunity to see some of our beautiful churches in historic downtown Chillicothe.”

There were three churches open to welcome walkers on the Main Street route, Trinity United Methodist, Calvary Lutheran Church and Walnut Street United Methodist.  Walkers had an opportunity to visit each one of the historic churches and ask the church volunteers questions about their houses of worship.

One walker said that this tour allowed him the opportunity to visit churches that he has only driven by in the past.  “Our community is blessed to have so many gorgeous churches in our downtown area.”

Jane Gray, Senior Regional Director of Church World Service in Ohio said, “What a creative way to help encourage participation in the CROP Hunger Walk in Chillicothe.  In fact, I’ve shared this story with several communities and people love the idea.  We could be seeing more communities doing a church tour as part of their CROP Hunger Walk in the future.”

Tammy Russell, a walk participant and the photographer of the photo essay included with this article said, "It was an absolutely beautiful fall day in Chillicothe for the community CROP Walk event.  The walk route may have been only a little over 1 mile, but the walkers gained much more than exercise:  friendships were made.  There was a committed group of walkers that not only were able to enjoy the day that God had provided, but also had an opportunity to share their faith and spirit with each other.” 

Tammy encouraged other churches and members of the Chillicothe community to participate in this event in the future.  “We walked because they walk,” Tammy said, “and we hope that we will continue to walk in the path of God and the path toward a day where hunger is no longer an issue for our community or our global family."

A portion of the proceeds will go to the Good Samaritan Food Network, which serves hungry people in Ross County.  Remaining funds go to Church World Service, a cooperative ministry of 36 Protestant, Orthodox and Anglican denominations, providing self-help and development, disaster relief and refugee assistance in more than 80 countries.

Church World Service would like to thank Chillicothe for their creative approach to their CROP Hunger Walk.  A special thanks to the three churches who opened their doors for this special event.  You can visit these churches on their website or worship with them on a Sunday morning.

Trinity United Methodist Church
Calvary Lutheran Church
Walnut Street United Methodist 

For more information on Downtown Chillicothe follow this link.

Back to top

Taking a break by the peace bubble.

Kids having fun by the Peace Bubble.

Jerry singing to the choir before they start to Walk.

A Walker stops to sing a favorite peace song with Jerry.

Taking a break after the Walk to listen to some great music.

Jerry is traveling the country with photographer, Patsy Ferrell from Phoenix, Arizona.

The Dayton and Columbus CROP Hunger Walks featured a visit by singer-songwriter and United Church of Christ minister Jerry Leggett and his “Peace Bubble”. Leggett has traveled more than 21,000 miles and 83 stops on his year long 200-stop peace tour.

The "Sing Out For Peace at Noon” 2007 U.S. tour is "a nonsectarian, nonpartisan effort to celebrate the ideals that make for peace in the heart and peace in the world,” says Leggett. “What if we all paused for a moment of peace at noontime and pondered another world? What if the world we imagine is possible?”

The centerpiece of the tour is rousing, live music performed by Leggett from an intimate sound stage, a converted, tear-shaped vintage RV, that has been christened "The Peace Bubble.”

Leggett performed at Island Park in Dayton on Saturday, October 13, 2007 to “kick-off” the hunger walk. Doug Atkins, a long-time walker in the Dayton CROP Hunger Walk said, “Jerry was great! He was greeting all of the walkers as they entered the park. In fact, he announced the name of our church to the entire crowd and everyone started cheering for us. We felt welcomed and appreciated while we were at the CROP Walk.”

The next day on October 14, 2007, Jerry drove the Peace Bubble to Bicentennial Park in downtown Columbus. Again, Jerry brought a sense of celebration to The 29th Annual Franklin County CROP Hunger Walk in Columbus.

“Jerry made the day lively and extra interesting. He brought a spirit of community to the event,” said Claire Badger, CROP committee member and staff member of the Mid-Food Bank, one of the sponsors of the walk.

Patsy Ferrell, a photographer from Phoenix, Arizona, took pictures of both the Dayton and Columbus CROP Hunger Walks. Jerry and Patsy have taken the photos of the walks and posted them on Youtube, a video sharing website where users can upload, view and share video clips.

The video slideshow of the Dayton and Columbus CROP Hunger Walk can be viewed on YouTube.

You can find photos of the Columbus CROP Hunger Walk here.

Jerry Douglas Leggett has been performing his original tunes in a variety of venues for three decades.

One of his favorite "stages" is a grassy knoll on the Sea Wall near his home in Carlsbad, California. Many of the locals and tourists know him simply as "The Sea Wall Singer."

Leggett's acoustic musical roots stretch back to the late 1960's when he bought a $13 folk guitar and learned his first Bob Dylan song. Through the years he has maintained that essential quality of a guitar strumming, street-singing songwriter even as his musical styles have become more eclectic and influenced by San Diego's smooth jazz sounds.

Jerry's live performances combine his signature, soul-stirring ballads with a repertoire of rousing rock and inspirational blues for a mix that appeals to a broad audience.

Leggett has consistently supported efforts to link entertainment with raising funds and awareness of a more just and healthy planet.

Through the years he has combined his art with work as a grassroots community hunger organizer in Iowa and Southern California, a director of a downtown meal program for at-risk-downtown residents in Fairbanks, Alaska, and a creative consultant for several national organizations such as Bread for the World, United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), and the Presbyterian Hunger Program.

Leggett's recordings have sold more than 70,000 copies worldwide on his Better World Music label. They include: "Songs to End The Silent War," (1993); "Heart to Heart, Hand to Hand," (1995); "The Way of Peace," (2004) and his upcoming "Strong Thoughts -- Imagine Another World Is Possible" (2007).

He received degrees from Sioux Falls College (B.A., Communications and Theater) and Eastern Seminary (M. Div.), Philadelphia, PA.

One of Jerry's greatest musical moments was a performance with the legendary Pete Seeger. Says Leggett, "in my playing and my everyday actions I hope to reflect the spirit of Pete who calls us to build a world where no one is ostracized and everyone has something to share."


WHAT IF?
What if we all paused for a moment of peace at noontime?
What if we all listened more carefully to the world around us?
What if this moment for peace inspired acts of peace and compassion?
What if the world we all dream of IS possible

Back to top

By BILL RYAN
Sentinel Religion Editor
Bowling Green Sentinel Tribune
Reprinted by permission

Barbara Brandeberry, 77, will be jogging in place in 9-feet of water for one hour to raise money for the Bowling Green CROP Walk. Photo: J.D. Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune

While most volunteers will be walking as part of the CROP Hunger Walk, Barbara Brandeberry wanted to do her part for the cause in her own way. She is going to jog in 9-feet of water for an hour later this week.

Wood County’s annual CROP-Hunger Walk will be held Sunday at 1 p.m. at Bowling Green City Park. Proceeds from the annual Walk serve both national programs and local hunger relief efforts.

Brandeberry says Anderson Pool at the student recreation center is too crowded on the weekends for her to accomplish her feat, so she will jog either Thursday or Friday.

The 77-year-old Brandeberry says jogging in the water is easier on her knees. "This is marvelous. It’s my way of helping to fight world hunger and the local food pantry," she said.

Brandeberry has already raised more then $220 for CROP, Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty. "I'm not done yet," she said.

While she is accustomed to jogging in the water as part of her normal exercise routine, she pledged to extend that to an hour if she had 16 or more people pledge to support her. She has met that goal. "It's been a wonderful experience," Brandeberry said of her efforts which included e-mails to friends and fellow members of Christ United Methodist Church in Portage.

Rev. Bruce McDaniel, pastor of her church, says several members of the church have been involved with the CROP Walk in recent years. "We ask each person going to walk to get their own sponsors," McDaniel said.

The group from the church will feature up to 15-20 walkers including the church's youth group. "I applaud her," McDaniel said of Brandeberry's alternative walk. "It's a creative way to do it."

He said he has encouraged everyone to get involved by either walking or supporting someone who is walking. "Barbara's example will hopefully encourage other people to get involved," he said noting they should do what they can even if it might only be to "rock in a chair for an hour."

The money raised by the church is combined with several other churches in Bowling Green which participate. McDaniel is expecting this year's group from his church to equal or better last year’s effort of more than $800.

The Wood County Walk last year combined for more than $4,500. By design, at least one-fourth of that total remains to serve local soup kitchens and food pantries. Matching funds from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans have been applied for. Free pizza will be provided after the local walk.

CROP is part of Church World Service, which was founded in 1946. The Walk was begun as a representation of how many hungry people in developing countries will walk as much as six miles a day to get food, water and fuel; as well as to take their goods to market.

This is not Brandeberry’s first effort into helping the hunger cause, she also serves as a volunteer at Martha’s Kitchen. "There are people in need and we need to help them when we can," Brandeberry said.

During her jog in the deep end of the pool on the Bowling Green State University campus, she straps a flotation ring around her waist and high steps, constantly moving, in the deep end of the pool. She compares her jog to treading water with the added efforts of constantly moving. "I get a good work out. I actually walk in the water," she said adding one of the church members teased her that she was working her way up to walking on the water.

Back to top

With the sign on the Richland Bank building proclaiming 88 degrees, Sunday, October 7, 2007, was a hot day to hoof it down Park Avenue. That didn’t seem to bother representatives of 17 area churches who turned out for the Mansfield-Richland County CROP Walk.

“It looks like a pretty good turnout,” chairwoman Sharon Cardwell said as she distributed signs at the gazebo downtown.

Planning for the walk began in May with a goal of $15,000. Last year’s event brought in $12,000. 25% of the money raised in the Mansfield CROP Hunger Walk will stay in the Richland County area supporting hunger relief programs such as Faith Food Pantry, Volunteers of America, Catholic Charities and the Salvation Army.

On walk day, volunteers reported early to prepare for the event. Local Girl Scout Troops volunteered by marking the route, handing out water, chips and apples and encouraging the walkers to “just keep walking” on the hot October day.

“We walk because they walk,” said Rev. Paul Lintern, pastor of Oakland Lutheran Church. “Hungry people in developing countries typically walk as much as six miles a day to get food, water and fuel to take their goods to market.”

Ken and Diana Rupert were preparing to pull granddaughter Juleah Francis, 4, in a wagon. They’ve been involved for several years. Diana recalled rain one year, but as a participant you “dedicate yourself to the cause and you walk.”

At the end of the CROP Hunger Walk participants were rewarded with a free spin at Richland Carrousel Park. This is the third year that the Mansfield CROP Hunger Walk ended at the downtown Carrousel. The idea began with the former chairwoman Marge Kieffer and her committee. Marge thought that it was a great way to “reward” the walkers for their dedication.

Current chairwoman Sharon Cardwell said “everyone is tired when they get back from the long walk and the carrousel give everyone a chance to fellowship and catch their breath at the same time. It also gives us more exposure for onlookers to ask about the CROP Walk and see all of us working together.”

To see photos of the Mansfield CROP Hunger Walk click here.

For more information on the historic Richland Carrousel Park, check out their website at www.richlandcarrousel.com

Back to top

The Mid-Ohio Food Bank distributes enough food to provide 40,000 meals every day.

The Mid-Ohio Food Bank distributed 30.3 million pounds of food and other grocery products in 2006.

The 29th Annual Columbus CROP Walk was held on October 14, 2008, and was a huge success. Hundreds of people from over 70 churches, schools and civic groups walked in downtown Columbus and historic German Village to help end hunger here in central Ohio and around the world.

The Columbus CROP Committee would like to thank the following businesses and individuals for their support of the CROP Hunger Walk. The Columbus CROP Hunger Walk would not have been a success without the support.

Amateur Radio Emergency Services
Blooms Direct
Charley’s Grilled Subs
Cheryl & Company
Columbus Museum of Art
COSI
Donatos
Fruit Grower’s Marketing Assoc. – Ohio Apples
Giant Eagle
Frank & Marty Huffman
Joseph Mercurio Produce Corp.
Kellogg’s Snacks - Keebler
Kraft Foods Global, Inc.
Live Technologies
Macaluso Fruit Co.
Max and Erma’s
McDonald’s
Meijer
Mid-Ohio FoodBank
Parking Co. of America
Paul Peterson Company
Pepperidge Farm
Rent-a-John
The Refectory
White Castle

A special thanks goes out to the Mid-Ohio Food Bank for their continual support of the Columbus CROP Hunger Walk.

Since 1980, the Mid-Ohio Food Bank has provided more than 368 million pounds of food and other grocery products for hungry people in our community. Mid-Ohio Food Bank keeps the food shelves stocked for a network of more than 550 emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, senior dining centers, day care and other after-school enrichment programs.

The Food Bank distributed 30.3 million pounds of food and other grocery products in 2006. In fact, they distribute more than 2 million pounds of groceries every month, enough to provide 40,000 meals every day. For more information check out their website at www.midohiofoodbank.org.

Back to top

Do you want to plan a CROP Hunger Walk?

• For a CROP Hunger Walk introductory packet, contact the Regional office or call toll-free, 1-888-CWS-CROP for your closest regional office.
  
• Visit the CROP Hunger Walk Resources page for materials to organize and promote your CROP Hunger Walk.

Back to top