THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 15, 1996 TAG: 9609130250
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: AROUND TOWN
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 75 lines
Hampton Roads' only remaining CROP Walk to raise money for world and local hunger takes place in Chesapeake.
CROP walks were once held regularly in Portsmouth and Virginia Beach/Norfolk, but both of those efforts have fallen by the wayside. Now, the only CROP (acronym for Community Rural Outreach Program) walk sponsored by the international Church World Service takes place in Chesapeake.
The Chesapeake Walk for the Hungry Committee is headed by David M. Pritchard of Apostles Lutheran Church.
Pritchard said participants are being recruited for the Oct. 13 walk. The need for volunteer church, civic, school and Scout groups is greater than ever, he said.
``Participation for the last several walks has reached a plateau. In fact, it's down from previous years,'' he said. ``Over the years different churches have come in, participated and then dropped out for one reason or another. And in the past we've had honor societies from local high schools come in and participate. Right now we're mainly getting support from local Chesapeake churches.''
Pritchard said the event will welcome support and participation from any individual or group. Besides the participating churches, he hopes school groups, civic organizations, Scout groups and individuals will sign up.
Last year the event was supported by Apostles Lutheran Church, Chesapeake Avenue United Methodist Church, Deep Creek United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church of South Norfolk, Great Bridge Baptist Church, Great Bridge Church of God, Great Bridge Presbyterian Church, Greenbrier Presbyterian Church, Jolliff United Methodist Church, Mount Pleasant Mennonite Church, New Weeping Mary Baptist Church, Oak Grove United Methodist Church, Portlock United Methodist Church, Prince of Peace Catholic Church and Providence United Church of Christ.
Pritchard said 75 persons from these churches helped raise $4,949.60.
Christ and St. Luke's Episcopal Church of Norfolk supported last year's event by donating $816, raising the total for 1995 to $5,765.60.
``They did some CROP fund-raising on their own, and when they found out there was no longer any Norfolk/Virginia Beach CROP Walk, they sent their donation into the Church World Service,'' Pritchard said. ``And since I now organize the walk for the entire South Hampton Roads area, that amount was added to ours.''
Any money raised from CROP Walks is donated to the Church World Service based in Indiana. That 50-year-old organization uses 75 per cent of the money to help fight world hunger and sends the other 25 percent back to the participating community for local hunger projects.
Last year, a total of $1,441.40 came back to Chesapeake to three city food closets at Great Bridge, the Chesapeake Avenue United Methodist Church and the Human Resource Center in Crestwood.
Since 1980, the Chesapeake Walk has raised $107,368.52, the 13th largest amount of the 41 different events still held in Virginia. According to the Church World Service, 15.3 cents out of every dollar raised is spent on administrative costs.
``The Church World Service uses its funds efficiently,'' he said. ``It has an international reputation that goes back for years.''
Its international programs include supporting long-term development in more than 70 countries, assisting in disaster and famine relief and meeting the needs of refugees.
Pritchard said the walk raises money by having participants solicit funds from sponsors, usually friends and neighbors in the community, who will pay a certain agreed upon amount after completing the walk.
This year's walk will take place in South Norfolk, around the Bainbridge Boulevard/Lakeside Park area. It begins at 2 p.m., and walkers can tackle the 10-kilometer or 6.1-mile route at their own pace.
``The Chesapeake CROP Walk is a unique fund-raising event that allows people of all faiths to participate in a program that will have local as well as international impact,'' Pritchard said. ``And it's a way to get out, meet your neighbors or new friends while engaging in some worthwhile exercise.'' MEMO: More information about the Oct. 13 Chesapeake CROP Walk is
available by calling David Pritchard at 436-0305. by CNB