"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.