2016 CROP Walk & Turkey Trot Committee from left, Ted Williams, Jeanne Butler, Cynthia Biddlecomb and Lynn Wysocki-Smith. (Not shown: Wendee Brunish, Liz Martineau and Vincent Chiravalle). Courtesy photoCOMMUNITY News:
The 2016 Los Alamos CROP Hunger Walk and Turkey Trot will be held, as per tradition, on the Sunday before Thanksgiving.
The event is the biggest CROP Walk in New Mexico and has a long history in this town, thanks to the efforts of the late Aaron Goldman.
When the gun goes off at 2 p.m., the Atomic City Roadrunners get the jump on the walkers. The route is either 1.7 miles or 2.57 miles roundtrip from the Los Alamos Middle School – either to, or through, the North Mesa Stables and back to the school.
Participants arrive in the Middle School cafeteria after 1 p.m. to register, pick out a t-shirt and turn in monetary donations from themselves or from their sponsors.
These donations are key to the success of the event. Twenty-five percent of what is collected stays in town to feed hungry people locally, while the balance feeds the needy and provides relief through Church World Service and it’s global partners.
Arriving back at the Middle School cafeteria, runners and walkers will find a drawing for turkeys and pies and a potluck of rejuvenating foods to eat. There is great community feeling in the room, as adults, youth and kids of all ages celebrate having made a public showing of their concern for people living without food security. For the results of the run, watch the sports pages in this newspaper.
Anyone in the community, wishing to contribute to the hunger walk efforts or to participate in it, can go to CROPhungerwalk.org, and clicking on Los Alamos, New Mexico on the map. One can donate money there, or register to participate. Donors can designate another hunger relief agency to which they would like their funds to go, or keep it set at Church World Service. Many of these agencies work together in areas of need around the world.
Individuals, groups, families, dogs on leash, strollers, community walkers, Atomic City Roadrunners, all are welcome to join the walk or the run!
Those interested are encouraged to register online and create their own Participant Page through CROPHungerWalk.org. Upload a photo, email your friends, and collect donations to help eradicate hunger both at home and abroad. Once registered, participants can paste the URL of their page into Facebook or into an email and ask friends and family to donate to this worthy cause.
It is a lot of fun. Consider helping CROP Stop Hunger!
