Walkers’ efforts will feed families

Published 12:00 am Thursday, June 1, 2000

Volunteers in Ironton’s church community are lacing up their walking shoes to stamp out hunger here – and around the world.

Thursday, June 01, 2000

Volunteers in Ironton’s church community are lacing up their walking shoes to stamp out hunger here – and around the world. Rain or shine, Lawrence County’s annual Crop Walk begins at 8 a.m. Saturday, June 3, at Moulton Field, located on the corner of Lawrence and Eighth streets. Last year’s participants raised a total of $5,200. This year’s goal is $6,000.

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"We expect between 60 to 100 people to participate," Lawrence County committee chairman Steven Nierman said. "For all practical purposes, this is a volunteer event."

Nierman, who also is pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church, and other committee members organize the event and recruit walkers. The walkers then find sponsors to donate.

The Ironton Ministerial Association, along with Church Women United, provide the leadership on the planning committee, Nierman said.

Church coordinator Amy Cellar, one of the recruits, recently covered 12 blocks, walking door-to-door in search of sponsors to help the needy.

"The goal is $80 for each sponsored person," she said.

Sponsors usually donate a fixed amount of money, rather than pay by the mile, which is common in most Crop Walks, Miss Cellar said.

This type of payment, though, can be advantageous.

For instance, one participant receives $500 to $700 from a regular sponsor each year.

And donors are not the only ones who are giving up something to support the Crop Walk. In today’s busy world, it is difficult to find volunteers with the time to devote to the multi-mile hike.

"(People) have to cover the basics and pay the rent," Nierman said. "It’s hard to make a Crop Walk work."

Twenty-five percent of the proceeds will go to the local food pantries, located at First United Methodist Church and Central Christian Church, Miss Cellar said. Seventy-five percent of the proceeds benefit outside communities in other countries in need, including Kosovo, East Timor, North Korea and Indonesia.

"With the loss of jobs in our area, the Crop Walk helps keep the children and families fed," Miss Cellar said. "You don’t want to see anyone in your own community starve."

Because of the recent economic cutbacks in Ironton, the importance of this year’s walk has increased.

"I think it would be fair to say that in the midst of the nation’s economic expansion, (Ironton) is experiencing a loss of jobs, which may result in a local recession," Nierman said. "Cabletron lost some 400 jobs, Ironton Iron lost 600 jobs, Ashland Oil moved their headquarters to Covington, Ky., and Allied Signal is also phasing out.

"Why should people live in poverty?," he stressed.

This charity is one of the largest church events in Ironton, Nierman said.

Anyone who has the spare time can volunteer, and some residents have always had spare time for this charity.

"There’s one guy (that walks) with a cane that has done (the Crop Walk) as long as I’ve known," Miss Cellar said.

And most walkers get more than a good feeling out of participating.

"The whole walk is quite a trip," Nierman said. "You get your exercise for the day, I can tell you that."

For the planned 5-mile route, walkers will have more support than just the soles of their shoes.

"River Valley (Health Services) gives the walkers fruit and snacks, and Bartram’s (and Son Grocery) gives us drinks, water and soda," Nierman said.

The Ironton Police Department will also escort the walkers for the first six blocks of the trip, he added.

"It’s all cooperative," Miss Cellar said. "I think we’re doing better this year; we’ll know after it’s over."