Strong CROP Walk

Some of this year's trophies for the participants.

Kathryn Elder hydrating before the walk. It's always important to stay hydrated even in cooler weather.

They're off and running!  Well walking at a good pace anyways.

COBLESKILL — Rain did not dampen support for local CROP Hunger Walk 

The Schoharie County Aggie Scott Memorial CROP Hunger Walk came off on Sunday afternoon despite rainy weather. Both in- person and online donations reached $14,354.94, which is $268 more than came in on CROP Hunger Walk Sunday 2024.

The annual fundraiser started and ended at Cobleskill United Methodist Church on Chapel Street.

CUMC Pr. Anna Blinn Cole welcomed the walkers in the  church's dining hall before introducing the local CROP Hunger Walk organizer, John Jarvis.

Jarvis mentioned the late Aggie Scott and Lee Empie, both of whom raised large amounts of money for CROP  before they passed away. 

Jarvis explained  that  Lee Empie and his family  were the first walkers to make extensive use of social media as a tool to raise funds.

Jarvis also asked attendees to support the local businesses that financially support the local CROP Hunger Walk: Burger King, Subway and New England Calendars. 

When the short program ended, Synod Authorized  Minister Bob Holt of Helderberg Evangelical Lutheran Church in Berne blessed the walkers and then sent them off on the 2.5-mile walk around Cobleskill. 

After many of the walkers returned to the church, awards went out.

The church that earned  a Golden Sneaker for bringing  in the most money on CROP Sunday this year was Cobleskill UMC while the Silver Sneaker for raising the second-largest amount of money will go to Lawyersville Reformed Church. Helderberg Lutheran went home with the CROP Green Sneaker for turning in the third-largest amount of money.

The church with the largest number of walkers, thus earning the Mass Transit Award, was  Cobleskill UMC. Helderberg Lutheran went home  with the Happy Feet Award for having the second-largest number of Walkers. 

The parish at St. Vincent de Paul and the congregation at Esperance-Sloansville UMC  have to share the Dusty Sneaker for third place because of a tie. In past years the local CROP planning team has used joint custody in such situations, with each church keeping the sneaker for six months.  

The Lee Empie Award went to John Jarvis  of Cobleskill UMC  for turning in the most money; Kathy Kosier of St. Vincent de Paul earned the Treasurer's Award for raising the second-largest amount of money.  Kathy Jones earned  a certificate for turning in the third-largest amount of money.

Team Empie took home  a Golden Sneaker for being the nonchurch group raising the largest amount of money both in person and online. 

Team Empie's $8210 raised for this year's  Schoharie County Aggie Scott Memorial CROP Hunger Walk  is 56.48% of all local  CROP Hunger Walk money turned in that weekend.

The Christian Fellowship of SUNY Cobleskill earned a Silver Sneaker  for being the  non-church group turning the second-largest amount of money.  

Ann-Marie Frank from CUMC took home  a certificate for being the most effective church recruiter while Sandi Torrant of Team Empie  earned  the certificate for being the best nonchurch recruiter.

The certificate for the person who came the farthest  to participate  in the Schoharie County CROP Hunger Walk  went to Sandi Torrant of Team Empie. 

The three members of the local CROP Hunger Walk planning team were very happy with the amount of money collected in person and online this Sunday. 

Local CROP  treasurer Becky Leggieri commented, ''Again Team Empie leads the charge for helping to fight hunger in Schoharie County and beyond.

''The generosity of all participants has led to an increase over the amount raised last year.'' 

Jarvis added, ''This is  our best year ever for CROP fundraising. The Planning Team is so proud of Team Empie and all those Schoharie County  residents who donated money to our local CROP Hunger Walk in the war against hunger.  May God bless them all!''

The three members of the local CROP Hunger Walk planning team are Tracy Smith, registration coordinator; Becky Leggieri, treasurer;   and John Jarvis, organizer.