"In Like a Lion & Out Like a Lamb" We Welcome Spring with Gratitude

 

Dan Schildge President of CRP Industries
with his son, Jack and father George

Flowers by Sara Swijter of Fair Haven

After a  long winter of cold, snow, ice, school closings, poor economy and a generally gray and bleak season we welcomed spring a bit early  March 2nd with an annual luncheon to thank our highest  level of corporate sponsorship for our 33rd CROP Hunger Walk. This sponsor level is the foundation of our fundraising campaign each year for CROP Hunger Walks. Our 2013 Top Corporate Sponsors are: CRP Industries, Adoulin Inc., Covington & Associates, JPMorgan Chase, Shrewsbury Volkswagen, Guaranteed Landscaping and Amboy Bank.

We shared conversation with adult & teen members of our 33rd walk coordinating committees. Janie Schildge our walk coordinator spoke about the history of our walk as we remembered Rev. Dave Muskins who founded the first Red Bank hunger walk as well as Dr. Marie Varley of Church World Service. Both passed away in 2013 and we continue their commitment to helping hungry people to feed themselves.  Our walk raised over $106,000 and continues to provide funds to help our 17 local partner programs going in times when need for support continues to grow. Walkers donated 14,000 lbs. of food with an in kind donation value of $18,000.

Dave and Marie Helsing from Tinton Falls 

Dave and Marie Helsing, long time volunteers, shared stories of the early years. Sara Swijter, our walk treasurer created the beautiful floral arrangements that brightened the afternoon luncheon. A few of our graduating and very busy teen leaders from 15 area Monmouth County high schools mingled with sponsors and committee members and talked about how they encourage other students to participate and fund raise for our annual hunger walk.  

Michael Thomson Vice President of
JPMorgan Bank and his wife Grace

One high school teen leader, Tracy Vollbrecht, spoke about her high school, the Marine Academy of Science & Technology which was flooded out during Super Storm Sandy in 2012 and all the students, staff, and necessary records were displaced. Funds from CROP Walks enable CWS to respond immediately to disasters and to provide long term assistance to displaced people. Super Storm Sandy was an example of how Church World Service helped in our local region.

 

Kaitlyn Walsh and Tracey Vollbrecht from MAST
and Emma Hellman from Colts Neck HS

Teresa Cintron, representing Church World Service, spoke of a young man who had been helped in a CWS program who now wanted to "pay it forward" by starting his own hunger walk. 

to help others in need. CROP Hunger walks are community wide events sponsored by CWS and organized by religious groups, business groups, schools and others to raise funds to fight hunger in the United States and around the world.




It was agreed by all that the good accomplished by local and global partners, using funds raised by our CROP Walk is well worth the effort and we look forward to renewing our partnership with all who make our Crop Walk possible.  Save the date - Sunday, October 19, 2014
We thank everyone  sponsors, walkers, volunteers and all for their participation in our Red Bank CROP Hunger Walk. Please follow us on Facebook. We've posted photos from the walk and encourage groups to share their CROP stories. Our work together does make a difference to those in need. Click on albums to see photos from our 2013 hunger walk.

Remembering Rev. Dr. David P. Muyskens Founding Spirit and Organizer of Red Bank CROP Walk

Rev. Dr. David P. Muyskens passed away on Dec. 21, 2013 at age of 83 in Sparta New Jersey. He is survived by his wife Ann and his three children. He was the father of Kirsten Schanck a current Red Bank CROP Walk committee member. We remember Rev. Muyskens as one of the earliest organizers for CROP in the Monmouth County Area. Along with a few others he organized a "CROP" beach cleanup and raised over $3,000 in 1979 to help fight hunger and poverty. In 1980 he helped to organize a volley-ball-a-thon to raise money for CROP and Church World Service. These efforts created awareness and our first official CROP Walk stepped in 1981. 

Eight years ago we celebrated 25 years of Red Bank CROP Walk with Dave Muyskens. He was happy to see the growth of the hunger walk and the support we have given to local programs that assist people to feed themselves. In 2005 we raised over $125,000 and were supporting 15 local partner programs. 

We'd like to share the following quote from the Monmouth Presbytery: Jan. 6, 2014.

 "David was born in India in 1930 to missionary parents. He came to the U.S. at age 17 to attend Hope College in Holland, MI. He attended Princeton Seminary and earned Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees. During 40 years of ministry, he served three Presbyterian Churches in New Jersey (South Amboy, Hightstown, and Shrewsbury) and United Church in Fayetteville, NY. Growing up in India during the struggloe for independence under Gandhi's leadership contributed to a lifelong passion for peace and justice. He became active in the civit rights movement, mobilizing the local community and aparticipating in protest marches. He organized CROP walks to raise money to fight world hunger and seraved on the National Board of CROP. In several Presbyteries he headed up the Peacemaking Committee. The Muyskens received numerous citations from the community and church for their efforts to combat hunger and poverty and to work for peace and justice. David was a natural athlete who loved tennis, cycling, and skiing, and represented New Jersey in the Naitonal Senior Olympics.


Donations may be sen to Church World Service, P.O.  Box 968 Elkhart, IN 46515

* A Challenge Well Met * 2013 Red Bank CROP Hunger Walk

One year ago Super Storm Sandy hit the east coast. To say it has been a challenging year is to put it mildly. Individuals, community, government and faith groups have all chipped in to help in the recovery and rebuilding process after so much destruction and displacement of people. We've all donated time & money to make the recovery and rebuilding efforts possible for our local communities. 

Our coordinating committee knew from the start that all of this would have an impact on the funds raised for this year's 33rd Walk but they didn't let it deter them from their efforts to raise funds needed to provide "long term support" for our local and global partners. Our past CROP Walks have made possible the Church World Service disaster response to Super Storm Sandy. Over $1.3 million dollars has been focused on this region, so we thank everyone for their loyal and steadfast support over the past three decades that we have been walking. CROP Walks make it possible for CWS to continue responding to hunger, disasters, and displacement of people.

20 dedicated members of our Red Bank CROP Coordinating Committee gathered one month after the Oct. 20th walk to enjoy dessert and to evaluate the "Walk Day Results". Some excellent stats came out. This year another record amount of 14,000 lbs of food was distributed to 25 local pantries with lots of volunteer help from Rumson County Day School and Christian Brothers Academy. The huge inter-generational crowd included, churches, schools,and civic groups. Some new friends: Trinity Hall, the Cornell Club, Community Church of Keyport, the Faith Reformed Church in Hazlet, the Korean Presbyterian Church and MAX Fitness joined in the effort to feed hungry neighbors. The runners and walkers were piped out on the start of the walk by a talented CBA Bagpipe Band in colorful kilts. It was a  beautiful day with brilliant colors, tributes to friends and memorials, with superb art from many young artists, depicting "A Place at the Table for Everyone". 

Donations continue to come in as recruiters check with donors. We are currently over $101,000 in funds showing continued belief in the work we can accomplish through CROP Hunger Walks. Our Red Bank CROP Walk has raised over $100,000 annually the past 14 years since we ushered in the new millennium. The new century has presented us with challenges to provide help for hungry neighbors, but it also has shown us that no matter how difficult things may seem we rise to the challenges before us to help our neighbors whoever they are and wherever they live. We walk to provide food for the hungry and to give them the tools they need to provide for a better future for their families. 

As you gather with your family and friends this Thanksgiving we thank you for helping to make a place at the table for everyone.