For the 30th year, walkers in Renton will raise money in the Renton CROP Hunger Walk on Sunday, May 5.
The goal is to raise $30,000 this year; in the last 29 years walkers have raised more than $512,000, including about $128,000 that was contributed to Renton food agencies.
Last year, the Renton CROP Walk made the top 100 walks in the nation, raising nearly $26,000 to place 95th out of 1,411 walks, according to Sharon Kenyon, the Renton walk’s longtime coordinator.
It is a fun, family, community walk/run for all ages to help end hunger, says Kenyon. Walkers can sign up through their participating church or organization, at the walk or online at www.rentoncrophungerwalk.org.
Those under 18 need a parent’s signature on the form or parent’s permission online. Strollers, wagons and wheelchairs are the only wheels permitted.
More information is available online. New groups wishing to participate or anyone with questions can contact Kenyon at 425-271-2080.
Renton Area CROP Hunger Walk 2013 is 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the Cedar River Trail, starting at the Liberty Park Shelter. Registration is 1 p.m.-1:25 p.m. Runners start first.
Churches, scouts, schools, clubs, organizations, businesses and individuals are typical participants in this event designed to end hunger around the world.
The route begins at the Liberty Park Shelter, with parking beyond the Renton Library.
The 11K/6.8-mile walk heads east along Cedar River Trail, to Ron Regis Park and then returns. Checkpoints along the way have snacks, drinks, phones, first aid kits and rides back.
The “Golden 1.5 Mile” is from the Liberty Park Shelter east to the first checkpoint at Riverview Park Shelter. Rides back are available at all checkpoints.
CROP donation envelopes are available for CROP Hunger Walk volunteers and walkers.
The Renton CROP Hunger Walk is sponsored by the REACH (Renton Ecumenical Association of Churches). CROP Hunger Walk is a program of Church World Service (CWS). Seventy-five percent of the money raised goes to fight hunger globally and to help people around the world meet their own needs.
These are the agencies helped locally:
• The Salvation Army Renton Rotary Food Bank, which provided food to more than 2,500 people a month in 2012.
• ARISE (Area of Renton Interfaith Shelter Endeavor), which provides food and shelter for about 20 homeless men in the Renton area and placed 53 men in permanent housing in 2012.
• The Margie Williams Helping Hands, which provides food every Saturday and helped more than 1,000 people a month in 2012.
• St Vincent de Paul Food Bank, which provided 80 large food sacks and 230 lunch sacks to about 100 people a month in 2012.
