Annual Newtown CROP Walk

For World Hunger Set For May 22

Each year people from the churches and community in Newtown take the opportunity to raise funds to meet local and international hunger needs through the CROP walk, a five-mile walk through the heart of Newtown.

This year’s walk will start on the steps of Trinity Church by the flagpole at 2 pm on Sunday, May 22.

The walk route is from the church to Head O’ Meadow School and back and includes some of the loveliest scenery in Newtown. Walkers are encouraged to get sponsors for their walk.  Rest stops with refreshments will be on the route.

Last year the Newtown/Sandy Hook CROP Walk raised more than $6,000 for local and worldwide hunger projects.

Among the international projects supported by CROP, a program of Church World Service, is supplying fishing nets and fingerlings for fish farmers in the Bolivian Andes, providing urgently needed necessities such as tents and emergency supplies for refugees and families surviving from the trauma of floods, earthquakes, hurricanes and other natural and human-made disasters, and bringing fresh water to villages in Malawi through the establishing of new wells throughout the country.

Forms for walkers are available at Newtown churches and also at the start of the walk.

Chairman for the Newtown CROP walk is the Rev Gregory Wismar, pastor of Christ The King Lutheran Church; treasurer for the group is Barbara Bingham of the Newtown Congregational Church.

Although the focus of the CROP Walk is international hunger needs, a significant percentage of all funds raised is returned to the food pantries in the local communities where the annual walks are held. This year’s walk is the 25th CROP Walk coordinated by the churches of Newtown.