Elgin CROP Walk help local ministries

The Elgin CROP Hunger Walk will step off from Elgin Civic Plaza at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18. A portion of the funds raised in Elgin will support the seven-day Soup Kettle program in Elgin and many area food pantries coordinated by Elgin Cooperative Ministry.

"Elgin Cooperative Ministry is excited and humbled to work with Church World Service and the Elgin community in doing our part to raise awareness of the issues that hold God's people in poverty," states the Rev. James Marks of Bethesda Church of God in Christ and chairman of Elgin Cooperative Ministry.

Elgin CROP Hunger Walk began in 1983 and raised just under $5,500 for Church World Service, an organization that stands with impoverished peoples around the world as they envision and fashion a better future.

Since its inception, the Elgin walk has steadily grown in participation of local faith communities, organizations and community members, and also grown in the funds raised for a total of 3,113 participants raising more than $400,000 to address hunger globally and locally.

Honorary co-chairs of this year's Elgin walk are the presidents of Judson University and Elgin Community College, Jerry Cain and David Sam.

"Hunger is a local problem with a local solution. We need not only call on Springfield or Washington to solve the pain and despair created by empty stomachs, but rather take seriously the call to care about my neighbor as much as I care about myself," Cain said.

This year Elgin's walk will start at 2 p.m. from the Civic Plaza in downtown Elgin, travel south to Festival Park, head north to Salvation Army, and then return toward Civic Plaza. Registration will begin at 1:30 p.m. on the plaza, with entertainment provided by the Zion Lutheran Church Praise Team, followed by a special set by the Christian vocal group Act of Grace.

For details about the Elgin CROP Hunger Walk, contact Laurel Bault at (847) 815-8389 or Laura Honig at (847) 888-2615.