SOUTH DEERFIELD — There were a lot more pedestrians than usual walking through town Sunday thanks to the annual Franklin County CROP Hunger Walk, which raises money for hunger relief.
“It’s really inspiring. I love to see people come together for this,” said the Rev. Randy Calvo, pastor of the Holy Name of Jesus Parish, which hosted this year’s walk.
About 250 walkers — and a few people in wheelchairs — could be seen around 3 p.m. along the walk’s roughly 4-mile route, including Linda Comstock, Cara Hochhalter, Janne Douillard and other Franklin County parishioners and community members. There was also a shorter, 2-mile route.
Steve Damon, regional organizer of the national event, said 25 percent of all money raised will go toward local charities including the Western Mass. Food Bank, Franklin County Community Meals programs at the Second Congregational Church in Greenfield and Trinity Church in Shelburne Falls, Ashfield’s Food Pantry and the Turners Falls Survival Center. The other 75 percent will help national and global charities.
Participants in the event gathered pledges before the walk, and will continue to raise money through the end of the year.
Damon, who is a staff member at the United Church of Bernardston (where the first Franklin County hunger walk took place in 1987) said he’s been participating in the walks since the early ’90s. As of Monday, he said it was too early to tell how much has been raised toward the event’s $30,000 goal, which was achieved at last year’s fundraiser.
“This goes beyond the monetary gifts,” said Ken Huff while walking through fallen leaves down Sugarloaf Street from the center of town toward Thayer Street.
Huff said Sunday was his eighth CROP Hunger Walk, adding that he participates “in remembrance of those who have less than we do.”
“I’ve been doing it since 1981, just about every year,” said Armand Proulx, retired pastor of the Second Congregational Church in Greenfield, who was walking with second-year walker Larry O’Connor. “We’re all together in this thing called the world — we’re one family, and if someone’s hurting you want to help.”
“It’s a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon, and it’s good exercise,” said Kevin Hollister, who navigated the route by himself in a wheelchair. Hollister said he organizes the event at St. James Episcopal Church in Greenfield, and participates in memory of former coordinator Ricker Smiley.
According to the organization’s national website, which was founded in 1947, CROP is an acronym for Christian Rural Overseas Program. Last year there were 1,100 walks held, raising $11.25 million.
“In the Christian tradition, one of the central things is that altogether in the world we are the body of Christ,” Proulx continued. “If that vision was alive in people’s hearts, we would break what I call ‘the iron dome of us-versus-them.’”
Compared to last year’s walk, which was held in Greenfield and featured cold rainy weather, Damon said Sunday’s walk had beautiful weather that contributed to bringing out more people than usual.
You can reach Andy Castillo at: acastillo@recorder.com
or 413-772-0261, ext. 263