August 15, 2008

Dear Friend:

I would like to invite your church or organization to participate in our 37th Annual Charlottesville/Albemarle CROP Hunger Walk on Sunday afternoon, October 12th. Last year, 275 people walked, raising $36,437 for local and international hunger relief. Walkers often participate as representatives of their church, school or civic organization.

Our goal this year is $38,000. You can help us by:

* Making an individual or group contribution,

* Telling service committee, hunger committee, church school teachers, youth leaders, and scout leaders of the CROP Hunger Walk.

* Appointing a RECRUITER, and having that person attend our general information and materials distribution meeting on Sunday afternoon, September 7th at 4:00 p.m. We will meet in the Student Center in the Office Building of Westminster Presbyterian, at the back of 190 Rugby Road.

Our Charlottesville Community Meals on Wheels and Emergency Food Bank receives 25% of the funds raised and Church World Service (CWS) receives 75%. CWS resources help hungry people survive and become more self-reliant and assistance is provided after disasters. Commodities (e.g., food, medicine, blankets, etc.) are distributed through church councils and ecumenical organizations in more than 80 countries.

Participants in the CROP Hunger Walk include people of all ages. Before the Walk, they obtain Sponsor-envelopes from Recruiters and obtain contributions or pledges from family members and friends in church, school, university and civic organizations.

On the day of the CROP Hunger Walk, we walk together over the designated route. Our CROP Hunger Walk will follow a 10 kilometer loop route which starts and ends at First Presbyterian Church. We will walk through the Downtown Mall, out Ridge Street and then along Cherry Avenue and Jefferson Park Avenue and back on Main Street.

Walkers are urged to turn-in their Sponsor-envelopes and collected money at the registration table the day of the CROP Hunger Walk. Alternately, after the Walk Sponsor-envelopes and money can be turned-in to Joyce Kerns (Tuesday-Friday, phone: 293-3133, ext. 100) at the Westminster Presbyterian Church Office Building at the back of 190 Rugby Road.

Materials can be picked up at our meeting on September 7th. If attending this meeting is not convenient, please contact Joyce Kerns after September 7th. She is generally in her office (at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 190 Rugby Road) Tuesday through Friday (phone: 293-3133, ext. 100). She can prepare a packet of CROP Hunger Walk materials for you to pick up during normal office hours.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely yours,

Taylor Beard, Leader

Charlottesville/Albemarle CROP Hunger Walk Committee

phone 973-6963 (h), 924-6211 (ofc)

The following have participated in our CROP Hunger Walk in recent years:

Albemarle High Key Club
Aldersgate United Methodist
Baptist Collegiate Ministries
Broadus Memorial Baptist
Buck Mountain Episcopal
Burley Middle School
Charlottesville High School
Charlottesville Waldorf School
Cherry Avenue Christian
Christ Church, Episcopal
Christ Community Church
Church of Our Saviour
Church of The Incarnation, Catholic
Congregation Beth Israel
Cove Presbyterian
Covenant Presbyterian
Covenant School
First Baptist, Park Street
First Baptist Transformation Min.
First Presbyterian
First United Methodist
Girl Scouts (3643)
Grace Episcopal
Henley Middle School
Ivy Creek United Methodist
Madison United Methodist
Meadows Presbyterian
Mt. Plain Baptist
Mt. Vernon United Methodist
Mt. View Baptist
Mt. Zion United Methodist
North Madison Methodist Youth
Olivet Presbyterian
Park Street Christian
Peace Lutheran
Rockfish Presbyterian
Rose Park United Methodist
Rodes Memorial United Methodist
Scottsville United Methodist
Sojourners United Ch of Christ
South Plains Presbyterian
Spring Hill Baptist
St. Annes/Belfield School
St. Paul's Episcopal at Ivy
St. Paul's Memorial Episcopal
Sutherland Middle School
Tabor Presbyterian
Tandem School
Trinity Episcopal
University Baptist
University of Virginia
Wesley Memorial United Methodist
Western Albemarle High Key Club
Westminster Canterbury of Blue Ridge
Westminster Presbyterian
Zion Union Baptist