Fourth Annual CROP Walk Raises More Than $13,000

"We walk because they walk” was the theme of the fourth annual CROP Walk at The Common Ground in Sayville on Sunday.

More than 125 people participated in the walk, which included 13 different area groups. People from Sayville, Bayport, Blue Point, Farmingville, Patchogue, Lake Ronkonkoma, Bayshore, Hauppauge and North Babylon all participated in the walk. There were two choices; a 1.5-mile walk or a 5-mile walk, each of which wound their way through South Sayville and back to The Common Ground.

"Our initial count in funds raised for the walk is $13,600 which is our best year so far," said Jerry Avolio, organizer of the event. "The amount will also go up slightly as people hand in late donations. The success of the walk is due to the tremendous response of the churches involved and the community."

Founded in 1946, CROP (Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty) began holding walks in 1947. The original walks were organized by a group of churches to raise money to send grain and other crops to European nations devastated by WWII. The group of churches became Church World Services (CWS) which still continues to organize CROP walks to raise funds to overcome hunger and poverty and to aid those afflicted by natural disasters both abroad and at home.

Terry Brady played guitar as walkers assembled. Church groups sold carrot cake, banana bread and muffins. Groups wrote their names across the CROP placards with Sharpies.

Denise Mullar of the United Methodist Church of Lake Ronkonkoma was walking for the second time with her daughter, Kristine, who suggested they participate. "You have to give her all the credit because it was her idea," Denise said.

Church World Service keeps 75 percent of the money raised at each walk for their global work and gives 25 percent of it to a local charity of each community's choosing.

The Sayville CROP walk organizers decided to donate to two different local charities this year. The first, Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson, is run by Father Frank Pizzarelli. The organization arranges safe havens and homes for young people at risk. The other charity is The Inn (Interfaith Nutrition Network) whose offices are located in Hempstead, which supports 19 Long Island soup kitchens, one of which is in Sayville. Marianne Dayton of The Inn had a booth at the walk. She is a member of the Speaker’s Bureau Group.

“We go out to wherever we’re invited to bring information and educate about hunger and homelessness on Long Island,” she said. “What I hear most often from people is that they used to be donors and now they are guests of the soup kitchens.”

Avolio explained how the organization works in part by creating kits in response to disasters, including victims of Hurricane Irene. He was particularly proud to note that there were several National Junior Honor Society members walking. He thanked the many business sponsors including Jack Licitra of the band Jack’s Waterfall who, along with his students and other young performers, held a concert to benefit the CROP walk on September 10. He also noted that Curves of Sayville offered 2-month gym memberships as raffle prizes.