On Sunday afternoon, 25 Lawrentians joined in the annual Fox Cities CROP walk to raise funds to feed the hungry. The walkers were given pledge cards and encouraged to find sponsors. Many also made personal donations or filled the numerous donation jars placed around campus.
“The response was very good,” said Megan Severson, a member of the senior honor society Mortar Board. She sat at a table in the Downer commons encouraging students to participate in the walk or donate money. Publicity posters for the event were also prominently placed at the Downer entrance.
The event was also supported by the Volunteer and Community Service Center and was organized by the Church World Service, a cooperative ministry of 36 Protestant, Orthodox and Anglican denominations.
Up to 25 percent of the funds raised will support local food programs in the community and most of the remainder will go to international relief and development efforts in more than 80 countries worldwide. Only 18.5 percent of the funds go towards operating costs.
The CROP walk kicked off at Memorial Presbyterian Church at 803 E. College Ave. Walkers could choose to walk from one to six miles, though most chose to walk three miles.
Many members of the community also took part in the walk, making this a great opportunity for Lawrence students to get to know local people and help the Appleton community.
Alex Winn, a sophomore who participated in the CROP walk, said, “It was the best mile of my life,” calling the walk “a great way to help people in need both locally and internationally.”
Many of us at Lawrence do not face major problems with our food supply and sometimes it is easy to forget that there are others who need help. “We must not be caught up in the Lawrence bubble,” noted Meera MacDonald, a staff member at the Volunteer Center. It does not take much time to stop and consider a way to help others. A simple afternoon spent walking one mile is enough to begin the journey.