Even though the weather was cold and dreary Sunday, at least 125 walkers came out to Veterans Park to walk the CROP walk for hunger that will not only benefit those in this area, but those across the world as well.

Steve Lindsley, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, headed up the effort for the 5K, or 3.2-mile, walk held on All Saint’s Day.

“It was cold and soggy, but there were people that came and raised money to help fight hunger here and around the world. So we could not have asked for a better day.”

He said numbers were down this year, but that was probably due to the poor weather conditions. Lindsley said about 15 different church congregations made up the bulk of the walkers, but some individuals also came out to help.

This year the group was hoping to exceed the $16,000 annual goal set each of the past two years. However, they raised $6,700 — about $1,700 of that will go to the Yokefellow Cooperative Ministries in Mount Airy to help purchase food.

Joe Moran, the director of the Southeast office of CROP walk, explained in a planning meeting for the event that one-third of the money raised in Mount Airy will stay in this area.

“It all started after World War II in an effort to end hunger worldwide,” Moran said. “Of the money raised in the 1,900 walks held each year, one-third of the money stays in the community where it was raised.”

Jill Borders, program coordinator with Yokefellow Cooperative Ministries, said the CROP walk is something that benefits the local food pantry.

“With unemployment over 12 percent, which does not include those who are under-employed — our estimates are there are about 20 percent of people living here that are ‘food insecure.’ We’ve seen parents go without their medications to be able to provide food for their children,” Borders said.

She said in addition to food, Yokefellow Ministries provides medication assistance. With the money raised to help the food pantry, other monetary donations can be used for medication.

“As many as 82 percent of people go without adequate health insurance or have no insurance at all,” Borders said. “Without food and medication, people cannot function properly in society.”

Something that has been done in past CROP walks was changed this year. Instead of the expense involved with giving out printed T-shirts, plain white T-shirts were given to the children to be decorated for the walk.

“That was one of the big hits this year. Every kid that came got a free white T-shirt that they decorated for the walk,” Lindsley said.

Local radio station owner Kelly Epperson emceed the event and the youth praise band “A Rise Within” from Grace Moravian Church performed at the kick-off ceremony.

Lindsley said that some might question why the group has decided to have the walk on a Sunday afternoon.

“This serves as a way to do good Christian service in the community. There is something neat about having it on a Sunday afternoon. Usually people go to their own churches and do their own thing, but on this day we will come together and spend the afternoon raising money for those in need. The need is greater than ever this year,” Lindsley said.

“We are pleased with the folks that came out and braved the less than desirable weather. The motto for the walk, is ‘We walk because they walk.’ It’s sort of a solidarity thing because there are people all over the world who walk miles and miles in all types of weather. If we have to walk an hour in some cooler conditions, we can live with it,” Lindsley said.

For more information about CROP walk, visit www.myspace.com/mountairywalks4hunger or call 786-2803.

Contact Mondee Tilley at mtilley@mtairynews.com or at 719-1930.