Local Athletes 'Hike for Hunger,' deliver goods to Laguna Food Pantry

Sixty-three fitness buffs – about 24 of them from Rancho Santa Margarita – spent last Saturday morning hiking from Aliso Viejo to the Laguna Food Pantry to deliver – on foot – 1,100 lbs. of nonperishable food items.

About two dozen athletes from Crossfit Reform of Rancho Santa Margarita participated in the 2014 Hike For Hunger, organized by friends at Aliso CrossFit. Participants filled backpacks with non-perishable food items – about 20 lbs. per person – and hiked five miles on Aliso & Wood Canyon Wilderness Park trails to the Laguna Food Pantry on Laguna Canyon Road.

Eric Conner, owner of Crossfit Reform, noted, “My friends Rick and Chelsea DiCarlo of Aliso CrossFit asked us to hike last year and it was so much fun, we had an even bigger response from our gym this year. It feels great to help other people – and it feels even better to get a workout in while doing it.”

Pantry volunteers greeted the group with cold drinks, snacks, balloons, flowers, as the musical theme from the film “Rocky” blared across the parking lot. After unloading the food, hikers were given rides back to their starting point by pantry volunteers.

The Laguna Food Pantry provides free, fresh, nutritious groceries to low-income households. Every weekday, Laguna Food Pantry distributes 2,500 lbs. of free, fresh groceries to shoppers from area low-income households. Among those households, 20 percent of the consumers of the Pantry food are babies and children. Located at 20652 Laguna Canyon Road north of the Dog Park, the Pantry is open from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. It is run entirely by volunteers. New volunteers are always welcome. Phone: 949-497-7121 www.lagunafoodpantry.org.