The Cleveland County CROP Walk To STOP Hunger will bring people of many denominations and faiths together in community Sept. 28 to fight hunger and poverty locally and around the world.

Registration begins at 1:30 p.m. at Food and Shelter for Friends, 104 W. Comanche St. The three-mile, 45-60 minute walk-a-thon will start at 2 p.m. and wind through tree-lined streets and the University of Oklahoma campus. Walk teams include churches, businesses, civic and professional organizations, families, friends and dog walkers. Walkers who raise $100 or more in donations will receive a free CROP Walk T-shirt.

Nationwide effort

CROP, which stands for Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty, is a nationwide ecumenical effort to raise awareness about the devastating impact of hunger and poverty. The walk is one of over 2,000 such events taking place across the country this year and has been a part of the community for more than 15 years as the Norman CROP Walk. It is organized by volunteers from a variety of local faith communities.

CROP Walk is a family oriented event packed with fun. Before the walk, participants can enjoy face painting for kids, musical entertainment by Monroe Elementary School's Manyawi World Music Ensemble and a premiere performance by Norman High and Norman North Global Music Program participants. Members of the Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band will help lead off the walk. The After-Walk Celebration will include a hot dog cookout and live music by the Mystery Dates, a popular Norman dance band.

Rest stations staffed by local Girl Scouts will be spaced along the walk route and also offer water and treats for furry walkers. Volunteers from OUrearth, a university-based environmental group, will provide recycling at the event.

Proceeds

Twenty-five percent of CROP Walk proceeds will be donated to Norman's Food and Shelter for Friends, which has provided emergency housing for homeless families and meals to the hungry for over 20 years. The agency's Homelessness Prevention Program helped over 400 families from becoming homeless last year through emergency rental and utility assistance. Last year, the agency served over 30,000 free, nutritious meals to the hungry. Food and Shelter For Friends has received over $30,000 in donations from the local CROP walk over the last decade.

"The Norman community is incredibly generous," said local CROP Walk co-chair Marsha Roberson, noting that local CROP Walk organizers hope to raise more than $25,000 this year. "In the past 11 years, our community's CROP Walk has raised more than $125,000 to benefit people in need, both here and around the globe."

The remaining CROP Walk proceeds go to support hunger relief and development projects of the Church World Service across the United States and over 80 countries. Although not affiliated with a particular church, the non-profit agency's efforts are supported by a coalition of over 35 denominations and faiths. Church World Service programs in the developing world focus on self help, economic and environmental sustainability, strengthening local communities and building self-reliance.

'Entry fee'

In order to help more local families, this year's walk includes an "entry fee" of peanut butter or tuna, cans or pouches, which will be donated to Food and Shelter for Friends, food pantries at the Cleveland County Community Action Agency and Little Axe Community Center, and the Noble Public School's "Back Packs for Kids" program. The latter provides children at high risk of hunger with easy-to-prepare food each Friday, to take home for the weekend. "To put it simply, CROP Walk helps families in our community fight hunger. Many of the programs supported by the walk in the developing world better the lives of small farmers and ranchers -- just like people in Oklahoma," said Ed Kearns, publicity chair.

May be biggest yet

This year's walk is shaping up to the biggest yet, with several new teams joining. Participating teams thus far include Community of Christ Church, First American United Methodist Church, First Christian Church, First Presbyterian Church, Generations Church, Goodrich United Methodist Church, Grace Fellowship, McFarlin United Methodist Church, Memorial Presbyterian Church, Mom's Club of Norman, Norman Rotary Interact-Home School, Norman Senior Center Aerobics Class, Norman Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Norman United Church of Christ, St. Michael's Episcopal Church, St. Stephen's United Methodist Church, University Lutheran Church, and several OU housing and student groups.

"When you participate in CROP Walk, you are taking steps to alleviate hunger and poverty in the world's neediest communities and right here in our own backyard," said co-chair Brenda Wheelock. "It's a great feeling to walk with your family, your friends, your community and know that together you can make a meaningful difference."

Lots of sponsors

Sponsors for the 2008 Cleveland County CROP Walk, to date, include Arvest Bank; BBM of Noble; Blu Fine Wine -- Food; Brown's Shoes; Cimarron Circuit Opera Company; Community of Christ Church; Cookies n' Cards; Copelin's Office Supply; Coppermark Bank; Firehouse Art Center; First American Bank; First Christian Church; Generations Church; Gingko Tree Art Center; Grace Fellowship; Hey Day; Hideaway Pizza, Himalayas'; Home Creations; Integrative Health Center-- Day Spa; JR Properties; Kidoodles Toys; McClain Bank of Noble; McFarlin United Methodist Church; The Mystery Dates; Nathan's Automotive; Norman Institute for the Performing Arts; The Norman Transcript; Norman Unitarian Universalist Fellowship; Redstone Properties, LLC; Republic Bank; Rotary Interact of Norman Home School; Sam's Club; Sooner Theatre; Santa Fe Depot-Performing Arts Studio; Sign Language; St. Stephen's United Methodist Church; Take Five Salon, Thai Raja, Therapy in Motion; Top of the World Caps; Transcript Press; United Church of Christ of Norman; University Lutheran Church; Victoria's Pasta Shop; Vista Sports Grill; and Susan Whiteneck, D.D.S;

To learn more about Church World Service, go to www.cropwalk.org. For information on the local walk, call Marsha Roberson at 820-6570 or Brenda Wheelock at 620-1305.