2018 CROP Hunger Walk Report

We make a living by what we GET

but we make a life by what we GIVE.

                    Sir Winston Churchill

    Yeah! another warm, sunny afternoon welcomed 250+ enthusiastic Hunger Fighters Sunday, Sept. 30th, 2018.

We represented a diverse interfaith community of 22 church families and 2 organizations, LexVets and God's Pantry Food Bank, from 6 counties: Fayette, Jessamine, Clark, Madison, Bourbon and Woodford. This year we welcomed 'new' friends; St. John's Episcopal Church, Versailles, LexVets organization and Versailles Presbyterian Church. We were delighted and honored Andrew Gifford, our Church World Service Community Specialist liaison, Columbus, Ohio, shared the afternoon with us; greeting Walkers, creating colorful posters, offering our send-off charge and walking!

     Upon serving my 15th year organizing and walking with each one of you and yours in our partnership with Church World Service and God's Pantry Food Bank, I am exceedingly grateful for all that we've accomplished again this year making our community and world a better place for all God's children in need. With end-of-year donations still being counted, let us Celebrate our recent treasurer's report, "very good estimate of $24,200"; the 3rd highest amount we've raised in our Walk's 31 year history!   I'm extremely confident the final tally will include the $45.00 needed to reach 2nd place! We are so close!

       Abundant heartfelt "Thank You" to one and all for giving your time, energy, resources and dedication to Our Walk Mission!  Special recognition to my Walk Team: Nell V., Kriis Z., Alice P., Nathan L., Phil M, and Dwight C.; Crestwood Christian Church for hosting another successful Ecumenical Youth Poster-making Party and 1st Christian Church, Winchester, selling water to raise Walk funds during Pioneer Day Festival Labor Day weekend & providing water at their educational station along our Walk route.  Kudos! to each Recruiter for your tenacity, commitment, creativity and diligence engaging your church, organization and community participation in our mission; several of you implementing the educational component during summer Bible School and other church school events!

         Anticipating our 2019 Walk mission with each
               one of you and yours....and others!
         Walking Together in Peace, Joy and Love,
             Judy Maxson

Save these 2019 Dates!
Recruiter's Rally, 
      Thurs. Aug. 22nd, 7 PM 2nd Presbyterian Church
Greater Lex. CROP Hunger Walk, 
      Sun. Sept. 29th, 3 PM 2nd Pres.

Pisgah Walkers

Crestwood Walkers

Walk Day Reminders

'If you want to go Fast, go Alone.

If you want to go Far, go Together.'

                          African Proverb

 Sunday, Sept. 30th Walk Day Reminders:
            3:00 PM Sign-in and on-site Activities
            3:25 PM Send-off charge
            3:30 PM Walk begins.

• Invite at least one first time Walker with you!
• We are 'GREEN'.  Do bring your own water bottle which can be refilled at First Christian Church (Winchester) Water Station located 1/2 point at Isaac Murphy Memorial Art Garden.
• Bring one/two cans of protein food (tuna, chicken, peanut butter) to donate to God's Pantry Food Bank.
• New design 2018 Walk T-shirts will be sold for $12.00; prior years' for $8.00.
• Bring LOTS of posters to carry while walking.  A poster-making station will also be on-site to create more posters between 3-3:25.
• Online REGISTRATION and DONATION encouraged!  which makes Walk Day check-in easier!
• ALL hard copy Registration Sheets (statement of consent listed on each sheet) turned in Walk Day MUST be completed in full (as instructed at our Rally).
• Volunteer Crossing Guards will be located at 5 major intersections.  Everyone will adhere to ALL traffic lights, NO jaywalking,  follow the WALK SIGNS posted along 3 mile route AND stay on the sidewalks!   NO bikes, NO skateboards, NO scooters allowed.  Strollers, wagons, dogs OK.
• Physical limitations? Plan to Walk 'just part of route'?  Need a lift? Plan to Ride the Walk on 2nd Presbyterian's bus. Lakshman will make frequent stops.
• The Walk will be held if light rain; of course cancelled if storming.

       Acutely aware that thousands of our Carolina and Philippine neighbors are suffering from recent tragic storms/flooding our Walk funds may be used, if needed, to assist with recovery efforts.  When people can't recover quickly from disasters, they are vulnerable to hunger and poverty. Therefore, let us be more steadfast and diligent as we continue our fund raising efforts! This is not the time to 'ease-up' asking our families, friends, co-workers, neighbors, club members to donate to our Walk Mission: to bring gifts of HOPE, share HELP, restore Dignity to all God's children in need of the most basic human rights.

         We are Walking Together and Making a Difference!
         Peace, Joy and Love,
         Judy Maxson, organizer

Here is our 2018 Hunger Walk route

Getting Ready for the 2018 Walk

Lord, to those who HUNGER give bread. 

And to those who have bread give the HUNGER for Justice.

                             Latin America prayer

The Greater Lexington CROP (Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty) Hunger Walk will be Sunday, Sept. 30th at Second Presbyterian Church, E. Main and Ransom.  Registration and check-in begins at 3 PM. On site fellowship activities will include poster making,  learn more about God's Pantry Food Bank and bring a can(s) protein food to donate, discover how you can support the 'ONE' campaign's work against extreme poverty and preventable diseases in Africa, purchase a 2018 CROP Hunger T-shirt to wear, gather for group pictures, etc.

At 3:25, our guest Walker, Andrew Gifford, Community Engagement Specialist with Church World Service (CWS) will deliver our send-off charge.

Our all new 3 mile experiential Walk in and around Bell Court and East End historic sites, Isaac Murphy Memorial Art Garden and Charles Young Park will begin at 3:30. 'Ride the Walk' in 2nd Pres. bus will be available for those with physical limitations.

Eight 'new' Team Captains/Co-Captains made our exciting Rally Aug. 23rd. extra joyful!  Andrew Gifford described how the impact of our fund raising this year will support CWS Timor Zero Hunger program in Indonesia. Want more info? go to crophungerwalk.org/Indonesia.  Misty Simms, God's Pantry Food Bank, thanked us for our 25% grant ($6,148) last year which helped provide thousands of emergency meals to our neighbors in Central and Eastern KY.  Yes, indeed we DO make a difference!

Save this Date!  Sunday, Sept. 23rd, 4:30-6 PM, Crestwood Christian Church, 1882 Bellefonte Dr., Lex!
Ecumenical Youth Poster-making Pizza Party for all youth...and adults!  Once again, gratitude to Rev. Kory and Rev. Trish for hosting this creative, fun, interfaith event. PLEASE RSVP to Trish@crestwoodchristian.org by noon Fri. Sept. 21.

This IS the year we will meet our ever elusive $30,000 goal!  We are determined! We can Do this!  So many are suffering while we have so much!  As Anne Frank reminds us: 'No one has become poor by giving.'

       Walking Together in
       Peace, Joy and Love,
          Judy Maxson, Walk organizer

2017 Walk Outcome

Let there be justice for all. Let there be peace for all.
Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all.
               Nelson Mandela

    Another very warm, Sept. 24th afternoon greeted 269 energetic Walkers ready to 'Help End Hunger One Step at a Time'.  Central Kentucky's only Walk to fight hunger and poverty, near and far, has raised to date nearly $23,000!  Although we did not achieve our 30th Anniversary $30,000 goal, we are hopeful that expected Christmas and end-of-year donations will be forthcoming.

    We represented a diverse, interfaith community of 25 church families and friends from 6 counties; Fayette, Scott, Woodford, Jessamine, Clark and Bourbon and 2 organizations; ONE and God's Pantry Food Bank.  We welcomed 'new' friends this year: Southern Hills United Methodist Church (UMC), Centenary UMC, Northeast Christian Church, Central Christian, Versailles Presbyterian, Clintonville Christian  and First Christian, Richmond KY.

     Gratitude to Providence Christian, Southern Hills UMC, Unitarian Universalist, East 2nd St. Christian Church, First Church of Christ, Scientist and Crestwood Christian youth and staff for their creative, informative educational stations along our 3 mile Walk downtown.  Many Thanks also to Crestwood Christian for hosting another successful ecumenical pre-Walk Youth-Poster Making Pizza gathering the prior Sunday.

      After 14 years of Walking Together with each one of you and yours, and working with Church World Service and God's Pantry Food Bank to make a difference in the lives of all God's children in need,  I am truly grateful for our commitments to 'be the change we want to see'.  Thanks to one and all for your time, energy, resources and dedication to Our Walk Mission! Looking forward to 2018!

      With Gratitude, Peace, Joy and Love,
      Judy Maxson, Walk organizer

Save these 2018 Dates!
Recruiter's Rally, Thurs. Aug. 23
Greater Lex. CROP Hunger Walk, Sun. Sept. 30th

2017 Walk Preparation and Reminders

"When you are hungry, you can't think about anything else."

                     Juana "Janie" Mendez, 17

    Crestwood Christian Church was overflowing with energy and creativity Sun. Sept. 17th when 55 youth and 12 leaders gathered to meet new friends while playing robust games in the gym, eating pizza, sandwiches, fruit and cookies and making colorful, unique posters to carry on our Walk, Sept. 24th.  Abundant Gratitude to Rev. Kory, Rev. Trish, Casey and team for hosting another successful ecumenical  event that brought together 'Walking' youth from Providence Christian (Jessamine CO), Central Christian, East 2nd St. Christian, First Christian (Winchester) and Crestwood. 

Friendly Reminders as we prepare for next Sunday's Walk:

• We are 'GREEN' and it will be a warm day!  DO bring, and REMIND others, your own water bottle which can be refilled at Southern Hills UMC Water Station. E. Main/MLK.


• Youth Leaders: save time at 3 PM registration!  Print a sign- in- sheet (includes statement of consent) from CROP Hunger Walk's resource center to complete and bring with you.  3:25 send-off message. Walk begins promptly at 3:30.


• Crossing guard volunteers will be located at the major intersections.  BUT, everyone MUST  Walk on the sidewalks and adhere to traffic lights.  The route will be well marked with official posters.  Strollers, wagons, dogs are OK....no bicycles, skateboards.



• Our 'cash' fund raising continues through Oct. 31st and ON-line donations accepted through Dec.  Let's continue our efforts so we can Celebrate reaching our 30th Anniversary,  $30,000 goal!


• Print your on-line confirmation donation receipt and take with you (or give to someone) to ALFALFA's for Brunch or take-out SUNDAY, 9-2 PM.  They will donate 20% (before sales tax) to our mission.  GOOD NEWS! indeed.


• Bring a can(s) protein food (tuna, chicken, p.butter) to donate to God's Pantry station.


• T-shirts will be sold; profits to our Walk (this year's style $12, others $8)


• Abundant Thanks! to Providence Christian, Southern Hills UMC, Crestwood Christian, Unitarian Universalist, Meadowthorpe Presbyterian, East 2nd St. Christian and Christian Science for giving all Walkers visual, interactive moments of reflection as to why we are Walking in Solidarity for all our neighbors in need of the most basic human rights!

          See you and yours Sunday!

          Blessings, 

              Judy M., Walk organizer

Our 3-mile 2017 Hunger Walk Route

Plans for the 2017 CROP Hunger Walk

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is,
what are you doing for others?" 
                      Martin Luther King

        The Greater Lexington CROP (Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty) Hunger Walk will be Sunday Sept. 24th, at Second Presbyterian Church, E. Main St.  Registration and check-in begins at 3:00 PM.  Meet and greet fellowship activities will include poster making, a visit to God's Pantry Food Bank station to donate a can(s) hi-protein food, discover how you can support the 'ONE' campaign's fight against extreme poverty and preventable diseases in Africa at their station, purchase and wear the 'new' 2017 Walk T-shirt, gather for group pictures, etc. 3:25 will be our send-off message. The 3 mile experiential Walk (and bus service) begins promptly at 3:30. (the walk route map and more specific info will be posted here after Sept. 12th).

        A productive, exciting Recruiter's Rally was held Aug. 17th. Andrew Gifford, our Church World Service liaison, Columbus, Ohio, shared Good News following his recent visits to Myanmar and South Vietnam. He explained how a portion of the 75% funds raised in the 2016 national Walks has contributed to the successful nutrition and hygiene educational programs now in place for thousands of our global neighbors in Asia. Rebecca Wallace, God's Pantry Food Bank, expressed gratitude for our 25% grant which helped provide 71,000 meals and snacks to Kid's Cafe, Back Pack and Summer Feeding programs.   Yes, indeed we DO make a difference!c

   MARK your Calendars!  Sunday, Sept. 17th, 4-6 PM,    Crestwood Christian Church, 1882 Bellefonte Dr. Lex!!

Ecumenical Poster-making and Pizza Party for ALL  youth, their leaders and parents!  Abundant Thanks! to Rev. Kory Wilcoxson  and Casey McDonald for once again hosting this creative, interfaith event.
PLEASE contact Casey (casey@crestwoodchristian.org) or Judy Maxson (jke659@gmail.com) before Sept. 14th with the number of people we can expect from your church or organization. THANK YOU!

       With the addition of committed recruiters representing 'new' congregations and organizations, my team and I are confident that we will reach our $30,000 goal this 30th year!  I am grateful for each participating Walker and Team Member's  dedication to our Walk mission!  For we are bringing gifts of HOPE, sharing HELP and restoring DIGNITY to all God's children in need of the most basic human rights. Thank You!

     Walking Together in peace, joy and love,
       Judy Maxson, Walk organizer

2016 Hunger Walk Update

"This is one community. It's important to demonstrate that we work together. We are one."
                  Rick Clewett of the Temple Adath Israel

....and YES, we were one on that very warm, sunny Sept. 25th!  On behalf of all our neighbors for whom we WALKED; nearly 300 of us..... GAVE; nearly $25,000 just now..... and CHANGED their WORLD, extreme gratitude to each person that gave their time, energy, funds, creativity -- and most of all your compassion and love to this mission.

       These past several years my team and I have focused on 'growing' the diversity of the WALK mission. We've made progress with including churches, organizations and groups from other surrounding counties. I am grateful to Angelique Bell, friend, Walk participate, and volunteer with ONE for inviting members of Temple Adath Israel and Masjid Bilal Ibn Rabah Mosque to walk with us. What a joyful blessing to welcome new friends to the Greater Lex. CROP Hunger Walk!

   Many Thanks to God's Pantry Food Bank, ONE, East 2nd St. Christian Church, Unitarian Universalist, Maxwell Presbyterian and First Christian Church, Winchester youth groups and sponsors for complementing our Walk experience with their informative educational stations. Kudos! to Crestwood Christian Church youth and leaders, Casey and Patrick, for once again hosting our pre-Walk poster party! Not only did they bring many bright, creative posters to the Walk...but 34 Walkers!

       Gratitude also to our business partner, Alfalfa Restaurant, for their sponsorship and donation!  Other new participants this year: Mason & Hanger Group Inc., St. Luke's Methodist, 1st United Methodist and Crossroads Christian Church. Altogether, friends from 25 churches/temple/mosque representing 5 counties and 4 organizations Walked in solidarity to continue our fight against hunger and poverty here and around the world.

   One of my many blessings is having the honor and joy to partner with each one of you and yours every year as we plan and create another amazing, productive community event! You are all a part of saving lives and changing futures. As we Give Thanks this Thanksgiving, celebrate Christmas and Holiday Joy, do consider sharing more of your bountiful blessings to support the anti-hunger programs of CWS (Church World Service) and God's Pantry Food Bank at crophungerwalk.org/lexingtonky.

        THANK YOU!
        Walking together with Blessings of Peace, Joy and Love,
           Judy Maxson, Organizer

SAVE these 2017 Dates!
   Thursday, Aug. 17th, 7 PM: Recruiter's Rally, at 2nd Presbyterian
   Sunday, Sept. 24th, 3 PM: Greater Lex. CROP (Communities
        Responding to Overcome Poverty) Walk