Come rain or shine, many area residents and church youths are gearing up to join in the Chickasaw County Crop Walk on Sunday, Sept. 21, in New Hampton.
    The activities will begin at 1 p.m. with a short presentation by local church youth who will talk about their recent mission trips. The two-mile walk will begin and end at the United Methodist Church located at 201 N. Locust Ave. Refreshments and fellowship will follow the walk at the United Methodist Church courtesy of McDonald’s Corp., Fareway Stores Inc. and Joe’s Family Foods.
    Organized locally, the Chickasaw County Crop Walk has set a goal of 200 walkers and hopes to raise $5,800 to help stop hunger in this community and around the world, through self-help development initiatives. A portion of the funds raised locally will go to the Chickasaw Food Pantry. This goal should be easily attainable since last year’s Crop Walk raised more than $5,580.
    This year Chickasaw County and some 2,000 cities and towns nationwide are joining together in interfaith community Crop Walks around the theme “We  walk because they walk.”
    Crop walkers represent citizens proclaiming their solidarity with millions of neighbors around the world who have to walk to live – as well as with the millions served by local food pantries, food banks and meal sites in the United States. These local ministries share in the funds raised by the walks.
    Crop Walk also makes a difference in all areas of the world that have long standing hunger struggles. In Guatemala for example,  indigenous families are learning how to grow better food for their families using greenhouse,  catchment irrigation and mini-garden planters. Through Crop Walk funding, Church World Services is  working with Hurricane Katrina families to move out of  FEMA trailers  and into new or repaired homes.
    For more information about the Chickasaw County Crop Walk, call Marcia Knutson at 641-394-5520 or MaryAnn Diesburg at 641-394-2604.