Scene from the 2019 Los Alamos CROP Hunger Walk and Turkey Trot on North Mesa. Photo by Cynthia Biddlecomb

Scene from the 2019 Los Alamos CROP Hunger Walk and Turkey Trot at the finish line. Photo by Cynthia Biddlecomb

By CYNTHIA BIDDLECOMB
Los Alamos CROP Hunger Walk and Turkey Trot

Sunday, Nov. 21, lots of community folks will be walking or running to end hunger.

This is the traditional time for the annual Los Alamos CROP Hunger Walk and Turkey Trot, which had to go “all virtual” last year. This year, both in-person and virtual options are available.

Funds raised through this annual event go to fight hunger and provide relief services in communities suffering from malnutrition, or from devastating natural disasters. Twenty-five percent of what is raised will go to L.A. Cares, our local food bank.

CROP Hunger Walks support the work of Church World Service, which for 75 years works in concert with many faith-based relief organizations around the globe. For details, check out their website at www.cwsglobal.org.

Participants concerned about being in a group activity, as the pandemic rages on, can opt to walk or run on their own while also doing the online fundraising to fight hunger. All participants can set up their fundraising at https://events.crophungerwalk.org/2021/event/losalamosnm. Donations also may be made through that site.

This year everyone is requested to wear a mask throughout the gathered aspects of the event. There may be unvaccinated kids around and older members of the community who are vulnerable, despite being vaccinated. The idea is to keep each other safe.

The gathering, registration, start and finish lines will be held outside, in the parking area of Los Alamos Middle School. The only use of the school buildings will be access to the bathrooms. So, plan to bundle up for the standing-around bits.

The course provides two options for walkers and runners: a shorter route at 1.7 miles, or an added loop through the stables at a total of 2.57 miles. Both courses start and end at the Middle School, taking San Ildefonso downhill and turning left on North Mesa Road.

Runners will be allowed to line up first at the starting line, the walkers behind them. As distance grows between pods of walkers, participants can remove their masks for the duration of the course. They will be asked to mask back up as they approach the finish line.

The time to turn in any funds raised outside the fundraising website will take place before the course, at the registration desks. At this time, one also may hand in their liability waiver, if not already done online.

It’s time to set up fundraising for the Los Alamos CROP Hunger Walk and Turkey Trot!

Scene from the 2019 Los Alamos CROP Hunger Walk and Turkey Trot along North Mesa. Photo by Cynthia Biddlecomb

Scene from the 2019 Los Alamos CROP Hunger Walk and Turkey Trot at the stables. Photo by Cynthia Biddlecomb