Plans Announced for Niles-Park Ridge CROP Walk

Join in the effort to help fight hunger in our area on Oct. 18

Niles and Park Ridge will be sponsoring the annual CROP Hunger Walk on Sunday, Oct. 18. CROP stands for “communities responding to overcome poverty”. The event traces its roots back to 1946 in the aftermath of World War II.

This year’s Walk will start at the Park Ridge Presbyterian Church at 1300 W. Crescent St., Park Ridge. Registration starts at 1:30 p.m. Step-off begins at 2 p.m. for the 6.2 mile walk to help end hunger in our communities. There is also a 3.1 mile route.

“Twenty-five percent of the funds raised will remain locally to help the needy with the greater Niles-Park Ridge area, says Lynda Santrella, one of the organizers. “Once again, we have selected the Maine Township Emergency Food Pantry to be the recipient of this portion of the proceeds.”

She added that last year over $8,000 fed Township food pantry clients for one month by serving about 300 families. The remaining funds from the event supported disaster relief programs administered by the Church World Service in the U.S. and around the world.

“Since 1992, we have raised over $454,000 of which $113,500 went to the township food pantry and disaster relief locally,” Santrella said. She noted that CROP Walks are interfaith community events. The goal this year is $38,000 to celebrate the 24th annual event.

The sponsoring churches this year are First United Methodist, Park Ridge; Messiah Lutheran, Park Ridge; Our Lady of Ransom, Park Ridge; Park Ridge Presbyterian; South Park Church, Park Ridge; St. John Brebeuf, Niles; Hope Korean Community, Park Ridge; Niles Community Presbyterian; Park Ridge Community; Redeemer Lutheran, Park Ridge; St. Andrews Lutheran, Park Ridge; and St. Isaac Jogues, Niles.

For more information and sponsor sheets, call Sandra Bowen at 847-825-7297 or visit www.cropwalk.org/NilesIL.

Photo caption: Township Food Pantry Coordinator Carol Langan and Walk Coordinator Lynda Santrella