CROP walk raises cash, awareness for hunger

"We walk because they walk," said Christa Mannion, one of the organizers of this year's Glen Ellyn-Wheaton CROP walk.

The issue of world hunger is the focus of CROP walk, an annual event to raise money both locally and globally, but also to raise awareness for the plight of those in need.

"We try to remind people that there are a lot of folks in faraway places who do not have access to what we have access to. Things we take for granted," Mannion said. "Many women walk daily for food, for firewood, for water. Even though we don't see these people, they are there."

The Glen Ellyn-Wheaton CROP Hunger walk will begin with sign-in at 1 p.m. Sunday at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 802 E. Geneva Road, Wheaton. Step-off is at 2 p.m.

Holy Cross is just one of the 14 Wheaton and Glen Ellyn churches to participate in one of the oldest walks around.

"It's ecumenical," Mannion said. "All churches are working together for a common problem."

She said it began after World War II when American farmers responded to world hunger in a way they could help -- by providing food.

More than 60 years ago when it began, it was dubbed "Christian Rural Overseas Project," and the CROP acronym was created.

Last year the acronym was reworked to suit the times. Now CROP stands for "Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty."

Although CROP is one of the oldest walks, the event might not receive the media attention granted to some of the other high-profile walks that are conducted today.

"The essence of the CROP walk is that it is organized on a local level. It's not nationally advertised and it's not sponsored by a corporation, " said Mannion, although she is quick to point out that the event does get local business sponsors.

The Glen Ellyn-Wheaton CROP Hunger walk is part of a national effort, and one of 60 such walks to be held in the area.

Many area churches plan CROP walks in the fall, fewer are slated for the spring. Each is organized on a grassroots level. For the Glen Ellyn-Wheaton walk, each participating church sends a representative to planning meetings in November.

Last year, according to Mannion, the Glen Ellyn-Wheaton CROP walk had its best year ever, raising $44,000 with about 350 participants.

"This year we'd like to have 400," Mannion said.

What makes the CROP walk different is that the funds are distributed locally and globally, with 25 percent of the proceeds going to the Glen Ellyn Food Pantry and DuPage Senior Citizen Council and 75 percent to Church World Service.

Those global funds will be targeted for wells for clean water, refugee settlement and micro-finance, where a small investment will ensure a long term income for an individual, family or community.

On the day of the walk, the atmosphere will be festive.

"It's fun if you do it with a friend or a small group of people," Mannion said.

After check-in, participants will be invited to take a "hunger quiz," with a chance to win a raffle prize. There will be two walking routes, a 10K and a shorter 3K.

"Everything is marked so you won't get lost," Mannion said.

The first part of the walk is always a pretty picture; then there's a sweet ending.

"We're all wearing these nice, bright T-shirts. We always try to have a visible presence," she said. "When the walkers come back, there is ice cream as a little treat."

Walk-ins are welcome to participate on the day of the event.

"We don't have a minimum cost," said Ann Gould, another walk organizer. "A lot of families self-sponsor. We don't turn anyone away."

Mannion, who has been an organizer of the Glen Ellyn- Wheaton CROP walk for 14 years, has always been drawn to the event because of the feeling of community.

"You're kind of going at your own pace. There are kids in strollers, dogs, wheelchairs, kids in wagons. We get a lot of families, older people, folks who just care about world poverty issues and want to do something about it."

For details on any of the area CROP walks, visit www.cropwalk.org. For the Glen Ellyn-Wheaton CROP Hunger Walk, call Mannion at (630) 790-1359.

If you go

What:The annual Glen Ellyn-Wheaton CROP Hunger walk

When:Sunday; 1 p.m. sign-up, 2 p.m. walk

Where: Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 802 E. Geneva Road, Wheaton

Call:(630) 790-1359