Crop Walk stocks pantries

By Jessica Kalin

The sunny Sunday afternoon reflected the crowd’s disposition as walkers participated in a fight against world hunger.

The Northern DeKalb County Crop Walk began with registration and an opening worship at 3 p.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 900 Normal Road.

Designed to raise money to fight hunger, about 150 walkers participated by raising pledges and walking 3.1 miles starting on Normal Road, touching West Lincoln Highway, circling back to North Annie Glidden Road and ending at St. Paul’s.

Hope Haven, Meals on Wheels and the DeKalb and Sycamore food pantries receive 25 percent of the money raised; the rest is sent to third-world countries.

Marilyn Loy, a participant of the walk for the last nine years, raises about $200 a year in pledges.

“The walk shows support for those who can’t walk,” Loy said. “There are some people who raise over $1,000.”

The Rev. Blake Richter of Westminster Presbyterian Church, 830 N. Annie Glidden Road, said about $25,000 is raised every year.

“It reminds me again of how much of the world lives in poverty; we can’t ever grow tired of trying to help,” Richter said.

The walkers raised more than $16,000 by the time they sat down to eat food donated by Panera Bread.