The annual crop walk will be held virtually Oct. 10, hosted by First Lutheran Church and First United Methodist Church in Blair. This is the 50th year that members from First Lutheran Church have participated in the walk.
“It's once again independent as individuals can do it on their own,” one of the organizers John Mark Nielsen said. “We thought it was advisable to stay within family or groups of friends to do this walk. We look forward to a time when we can do it together again.”
Nielsen said a key issue with the crop walk is 25% of what is raised in the community goes back to the community.
“They come directly to the Washington County Food Pantry,” he said.
To register, participants should go to crophungerwalk.org/blairne and select the virtual option. Donations can also be made at that website by clicking on donate. Donations can also be given to either church. Checks should be made out to CWS with “Blair Crop Hunger Walk” noted on the memo line.
There is no set route or distance. A few locations in Blair for participants to walk include the loop at Black Elk-Neihardt Park; the trail beginning at Lions Park to the Blair Public Library and Technology Center, crossing the highway at Johansen Manor and following the trail along Cauble Creek to Nebraska Street and back to the park; and the California Bend Trail at Optimist Park.
The Crop Project began in 1947 when farmers were asked to donate food and seed crops to the hungry in post-World War II Europe and Asia, a program that later became known as the Christian Rural Overseas Program — CROP.
The first walk was held in 1969 in Bismarck, N.D.
