COBLESKILL — Sunday, May 5, may have been a gloomy day in Schoharie County; but the day was hugely successful for the supporters of the Schoharie County Aggie Scott Memorial CROP Hunger Walk.
Again this year the annual hunger walk participants broke the record for the amount of money collected.
Last year’s record amount turned in on CROP Sunday 2023 was $12,896. The preliminary total for the 2024 fundraiser is $14,086, with more money expected later in the following days.
The local CROP Hunger Walk Planning Team gave awards in two categories: local churches and two nonchurch groups. Team Empie and the SUNY Cobleskill Christian Fellowship were the two nonchurch organizations again this year.
Team Empie again dominated the event with its 22 walkers collecting $7745. No church came even close to the Team Empie total of money raised.
Team Empie earned a nonchurch Golden Sneaker for most money collected both in-person and online and a Mass Transit Award for being the largest nonchurch group.
The SUNY Cobleskill Christian Fellowship was the other nonchurch group in this year’s local CROP Hunger Walk. Its 19 walkers raised about $900 for the war against hunger. On the day after the CROP Hunger Walk, the precise amount is uncertain but around $900.
Cobleskill United Methodist Church’s 21 walkers turned in $2491, thereby earning a Golden Sneaker for the most money raised by a church congregation and a Mass Transit Award for being the church with the largest number of walkers.
St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Community fielded four members who raised $1295, thereby earning a Silver Sneaker for second-largest amount of money raised by a church.
Helderberg Evangelical Lutheran Church in Berne was the congregation submitting the third largest amount of money on CROP Hunger Walk Sunday. The congregation also earned the Happy Feet Sneaker for having the second-largest number of walkers.
St. Vincent’ s ended up in a three-way tie with Zion/St. Johns Lutheran Church in Seward and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Richmondville for having the third largest number of walkers. The three churches will have to rotate sharing the Dusty Sneaker for the next twelve months.
Kathy Kosier of St. Vincent’s won the Lee Empie Award for being the individual from a church raising the most money. John Jarvis of Cobleskill United Methodist Church took home the Treasurer’s award for turning in the second-largest amount.
”Eleven years ago our CROP Walk raised $6884. In 2018 we collected $7732, with the late Lee Empie contributing $2250 of that amount. I’m sure that, up there in Heaven, Lee is very proud of Team Empie and the people of Schoharie County for their support of our annual hunger walk,” commented local CROP arranger John Jarvis of the Planning Team.
Other local CROP Hunger Walk planners are Tracy Smith and Becky Leggieri.
Twenty-five percent of the local CROP Hunger Walk money raised on May 5 will be returned to the food pantries of Cobleskill United Methodist Church, Catholic Charities and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Richmondville later this year.
The remaining 75% will go to Church World Service to fight poverty and hunger in the United States and the rest of the world.
Late money is always appreciated and accepted.