Just visit our our walk fundraising page at the CROP Walk web site.  If you need assistance setting up your own page, CWS offers an tutorial video on their Youtube page.

If you need additional assistance, contact Brenda Wheelock at 620-1305 or email brendawheelock@cox.net.

CONTACT: Brenda Wheelock, Co-Chair
brendawheelock@cox.net, (405) 620-1305

NORMAN – More than 600 walkers are expected to gather Sunday, Oct. 2, to help fight hunger and poverty by participating in the Cleveland County CROP Walk to Stop Hunger.

Registration begins at 1:30 p.m. at Food and Shelter Inc., 104 W. Comanche in Norman. The three-mile, 30-45 minute charity walk will start at 2 p.m. and wind through tree-lined streets and the University of Oklahoma campus. Walk teams include churches, businesses, civic and student organizations, families, friends and dog walkers. Individuals are also welcome to join and register on the day of the walk, which will take place rain or shine.

CROP, which stands for Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty, is a nationwide ecumenical effort to raise awareness about the impact of hunger and poverty. The walk is one of over 2,000 such events taking place across the country this year and has been a part of the community for more than 25 years. It is organized by volunteers from a variety of local faith communities.

CROP Walk is a fun-filled, family-orientated event. Before the walk, participants can enjoy face painting for kids, musical entertainment by Norman Public School’s Manyawi World Music Ensemble and a contingent of the PRIDE of Oklahoma Marching Band. This year, members of local school and church choirs, as well as the Norman Community Choral Society will lead off the walk by playing the African marching song “Siyahamba.”

The After-Walk Celebration will include a hot dog cookout provided by First American Bank and dance music by DJ Adrian Buendia and Nexus Productions of Norman. Rest stations along the route, which are staffed by local Girl Scouts, will offer water and restrooms, along with water and dog treats for furry walkers. Those who are unable to physically join in the walk, but want to contribute and participate are invited to join in for the festivities.

“Raise Your Voice to Fight Hunger” is the theme for this year’s walk, inspired by the song “Raise Your Voice” by Oklahoma singer-songwriter K.C. Clifford, whose song was chosen as the international anthem for CROP Hunger Walks. “Raise Your Voice” T-shirts will be available for $10 each on the day of the walk and will be awarded free to each walker who raises $100 or more in walk donations.

Twenty-five percent of CROP Walk proceeds will be donated to Norman’s Food & Shelter, which has provided emergency housing for homeless families, meals to the hungry, and other vital services to those in need for over 20 years. The remaining CROP Walk proceeds go to support hunger relief and development projects of the Church World Service across the United States and over 80 countries. Although not affiliated with a particular church, the non-profit agency’s efforts are supported by a coalition of over 35 denominations and faiths. Church World Service programs in the developing world focus on economic and environmental sustainability, strengthening local communities, and building self-reliance.

"The Norman community is incredibly generous," said local CROP Walk co-chair Brenda Wheelock, noting that local CROP Walk organizers hope to raise more than $18,000 this year. "In the past 10 years, our community’s CROP Walk has raised nearly than $140,000 to benefit people in need, both here and around the globe."

Walkers are also encouraged to bring an additional “Entry Fee” of peanut butter and/or tuna to benefit local food pantries across Cleveland County. Participants can also “walk on the web” by making online contributions to the local walk at www.cropwalk.org.

“This year’s walk is shaping up to the biggest yet, with more than 20 walk teams participating and more than 60 local sponsors, added Co-Chair Bill George. “When you participate in CROP Walk, you are taking steps to alleviate hunger and poverty in the world's neediest communities and right here in our own backyard.”

Major sponsors of this year’s CROP Walk are Arvest Bank; Ballistic Branding; Cimarron Opera; Cleveland County Abstract Company; Community of Christ Church; Dental Design Studio; the Firehouse Art Center; First American Bank; Girl Scouts of Western Oklahoma; Homesteaders at Hallbrooke, Jahruba Lambeth, Maxine Bates REALTOR; Manyawi World Music Ensemble; McFarlin United Methodist Church; Nexus Productions; Norman Music Institute; the Norman Transcript; Performing Arts Institute-Santa Fe Depot; PRIDE of Oklahoma Marching Band; Republic Bank & Trust; Scissortail School of Art; the Sooner Theatre; St. John’s Episcopal Church; St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church; Transcript Press; The United Church of Norman-UCC; University Lutheran Church; U.S. Food; Bill Veazey’s Party Store and West Wind Unitarian Universalist Congregation.

Other sponsors are Barefoot Books; Blu Fine Wine & Food; Chipotle Grill; Cookies & Cards; Compassion Pointe; Copelin’s Office Center; Coppermark Bank; Coriander Café; Cutz Hair Salon; The Earth Café; El Chico’s; First Christian Church; First Presbyterian Church; Forward Foods; Gaborino’s Italian; Ginko Tree Art Center; Hey Day Family Fun Center; Hideaway Pizza; Himalaya’s; Integrative Health Center & Day Spa; La Baguette; Landmark Fine Homes; Merrybelle’s Gifts, Art & Tea; NOAA-NEA; Norman Vision Source; O Asian Fusion; Pink Elephant Café; Therapy in Motion; Trimble Law Office; Westpoint Homes; Victor Wilson, M.D.; Redrock Video Services; Sandlewood & Sage; Sonder Music; and Victoria’s Pasta Shop.

To learn more about CROP Walk, call Brenda Wheelock at 620-1305 or visit the walk website at www.clevelandcountycropwalk.org.

NORMAN – The Cleveland County CROP Walk to Stop Hunger will launch its annual campaign to fight hunger at home and abroad with a Team Leader Orientation and dinner at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 22, at Food & Shelter Inc., 104 W. Comanche.

The event will feature a free “Foods-of-Our-World Extravaganza,” with dinner donated by local ethnic cuisine restaurants. The evening will include a special performance by Oklahoma City singer-songwriter K.C. Clifford, whose song "Raise Your Voice" has been selected as the international anthem for CROP Walks. Clifford wrote the song for the Regional Food Bank in Oklahoma City and has performed it at food pantries across the country.

For more than 25 years, the local CROP Walk has united people of many beliefs and faiths to raise funds and raise awareness about the impact of poverty and hunger. Faith communities, civic and professional organizations, businesses, youth groups, student and university organizations, families and friends are invited to form teams to raise funds to support Norman’s Food & Shelter Inc. and the international relief efforts of Church World Service. An additional “walker entry fee” for peanut butter or tuna will be donated to food pantries throughout Cleveland County.

During the orientation, prospective team leaders will hear a short orientation about the charity walk-a-thon, which will take place on Sunday, Oct. 2. Participants will also receive pledge packets and promotional materials to share with their teams.

Rev. Joe Hendrixson, regional director for Church World Service, will be the featured guest at the recruitment kick-off. CROP – Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty – is the community hunger appeal of Church World Service, a cooperative ministry of 37 denominations providing sustainable self-help and development, disaster relief and refugee assistance in more than 80 countries.

The Oct. 2 CROP Walk is a three-mile, 45-minute walk that will begin at Food & Shelter Inc. and wind through tree- lined Norman streets and the OU campus. Pre-walk fun includes face painting for kids and performances by the Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band and Manyawi World Music Ensemble. The event will culminate with a hot dog cookout and dance music by DJ Adrian Buendia of Nexus Productions. Comfort stations along the route will be staffed by Girl Scouts and will offer restrooms and water for participants, plus bowls of water and dog treats for furry walkers.

"Our community is incredibly generous," said local CROP Walk co-chair Brenda Wheelock, noting that local CROP Walk organizers hope to raise $18,000 this year. "In the past 10 years, more than $160,000 has been raised to benefit people in need, both here and around the globe.”

Twenty-five percent of funds raised through the local CROP Walk are donated to Norman’s Food & Shelter Inc., which has provided emergency housing for homeless families and meals to the hungry for over 20 years. The remaining proceeds support the humanitarian work of Church World Service.

“Last year’s CROP Walk drew over 500 participants and raised nearly $16,000,” said co-chair Bill George. “It's a great feeling to walk with your family, your friends, your community and know that together you are doing something to alleviate hunger and poverty around the world and right here in our own backyard.”

On Sept. 17, the local CROP Walk will host its fourth Annual Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest for Kids & Families beginning at 9 a.m. at the Performing Arts Studio at the Santa Fe Depot, 200 S. Jones. The theme is “Helping the Hungry – Making a Difference,” and art work will be done along the Legacy Trail. Norman performer Jahruba Lambeth will also entertain contestants with African storytelling and drumming.

Participants are asked to donate peanut butter or tuna as the entry fee. The art contest is open to youth up to age 18 and families. Prizes will be awarded by age group and will include a family prize and a Mom’s-Only prize drawing.

Video featuring the 2009 Cleveland County CROP Walk is now online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-ywvns7pQM

Special thanks go to Norman videographer Hillary Kane for creating this wonderful video and to Oklahoma City singer/songwriter K.C. Clifford for sharing her inspiring song "Raise Your Voice" for our video.  The video also features photos by David Wheelock and images from Brenda Wheelock's 2009 trip to Kenya with Church World Service.

An estimated 450 people came out on a cool, wet day to support the CROP Walk! Here are photos from this year's walk posted on the Cleveland County CROP Walk Facebook page.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon us! For God has anointed us to bear good news to the world – the afflicted, the brokenhearted, the captives, and the prisoners. This very day, by participating in Norman’s CROP WALK, we are helping to give such freedoms to God’s precious yet troubled world. We are walking not only to help free those from hunger, thirst, poverty, and despair, but to free ourselves from the tyranny of our status quo and complicity in global poverty.

Lord, our presence affirms our calling and secures our hope that we are not alone as we walk for those who journey wet and flooded roads as well as dry and dusty roads for water and food. Today, we are encouraged to meet so many like-minded people with a passion for justice, and a ministry of solidarity! Compassion and justice are our companions as we walk. For we walk to understand those within the isolation of poverty – not just those who have been pushed aside in the wake of competition, but those who are losing self-confidence; those who are victims of a system they helped to build; and those who have never experienced rest from daily labors.

So, it is with a healthy appetite for change that we are eager to walk. Whether we are able-bodied, wear well-cushioned shoes, been fed a satisfying lunch or look forward to a late afternoon of resting our feet, we are aware of our chosen calling. We are the chosen ones who have been filled but oddly, we are not satisfied. We are not satisfied because we know it is our responsibility to better the economy of those who aren’t able-bodied, who don’t have comfortable shoes, who haven’t been fed a satisfying meal for lunch, who haven’t experienced a day of rest in their lifetime!

O God, as we walk the next three miles, unite us as only you can do, that our work may bring joy, our conversations may bring us laughter, our hope may bring solace, and our very lives may bear witness to a world which you so love. We pray this in the name of the God who uses our hands and feet to show fathomless love to every being on this planet.  In God’s name we pray, amen.

Thank you to everyone who came out to the Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest for Children and Families.  We also appreciate all the wonderful sponsors and the Celtic duo Tyaener that came out to play for us. 

Special thanks to Norman videographer Hilary Kane who created this wonderful video for us documenting the art contest. (Please wait a moment or two for the video to start playing once the web site launches.)

Also, here is a link to the Event Photo Album on the Cleveland County CROP Walk Facebook page. 

NORMAN CROP WALK LEADER VISITS KENYA

WITH CHURCH WORLD SERVICE GROUP

March 16, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                             

       Norman resident Brenda Wheelock recently spent two weeks in Kenya as part of a 10-member delegation representing the Great Plains Region of Church World Service.

       Founded in 1946, Church World Service is a cooperative ministry of 35 Protestant, Orthodox, and Anglican denominations, providing sustainable self-help and development, disaster relief, and refugee assistance around the world. Most of those participating in the Kenya trip support the work of Church World Service by leading or participating in community CROP Walks. During their journey, the CWS delegation saw first hand how money raised through U.S. CROP Walks is supporting and empowering people in East Africa.

       Wheelock has been a CROP Walk volunteer for seven years and served last year as co-chair of the Cleveland County CROP Walk. CROP, which stands for Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty, raised nearly $21,000 last fall to fight hunger and poverty, with 25 percent of the funds staying in Norman to benefit Food and Shelter for Friends.

              “I appreciate all the community support that I received for this trip and look forward to sharing stories and photos so that others can get a glimpse into the lives of everyday people in Kenya,” Wheelock said. “Most of the people I met had so little in terms of material wealth, and yet they live with a spirit of joy and abundance, appreciating and sharing what little they have with others. It was an incredibly inspiring experience.”

       Throughout their travels, Wheelock said, the delegation was greeted with warm hospitality, entertained with native songs and presented with handmade gifts such as baskets and jewelry.

       The group visited youth in the Mathare slum of Nairobi and in rural Yatta who have become the heads of their households due to the devastating effects of AIDS/HIV and other diseases. Church World Service works with local partner organizations to administer the Giving Hope Program, empowering orphans and vulnerable children through education, emotional support, vocational training and seed funds for small businesses. The delegation visited an Improved Livelihoods project in the Ngong township that is serving women through functional adult literacy training, small business loans, peer support and business management training. The participants have established personal savings as well as a group savings account, which they use to support each other for education, business or emergency needs.

       The delegation also saw examples of how Church World Service’s Emergency Response Program is responding to drought and critical food shortages affecting an estimated 10 million Kenyans. The group visited the Eastern Province village of Kwakaseke, where the community had received emergency food, seed and assistance to build a sand dam in during a drought in 2006.  Similar projects are currently taking place throughout the drought-stricken region.

       During a visit to the Kaikungu Village in the Mwingi District, members of the CWS delegation helped distribute 100 bags of Maize to the famine-hit community, with priority given to those most vulnerable, including children and the elderly. The group also visited Kaikungu to see Church World Service Water for Life projects, including the construction of a new sand dam and a solar-powered borehole well.

       Regina Abraham, a member of the village committee overseeing the water projects, said the community is forever grateful to Church World Service for transforming their community from “a valley of dry bones to a place of new life.”

       “Maybe you can not tell from the depths of our hearts how much we are grateful,” she said. “But you can see it in our faces.”

       The delegation also had the opportunity to visit the Wangu Primary School in the Mathare slum.  The school, located next to a city dump, received Safe School Zones support from Church World Service to build a protective wall around the school, to provide clean water and warm lunches, and to create clean sanitation facilities. Since joining Safe Schools Zones, the school has improved academically and several children have left the slums to pursue higher education.

       “This trip gave me a new appreciation for Church World Service and the way that they give people a hand up rather than a hand out,”  Wheelock said.  “Each project that we visited was a success because of the community involvement and investment.  The people we met are so committed to building a better future for themselves and their children.”

       The U.S. delegation capped off their stay in Kenya with a safari at Amboseli National Park near the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro, where they saw elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras and a variety of native wildlife. They also visited a sanctuary for orphaned baby elephants and fed giraffes by hand at a giraffe education center in Nairobi.

       Wheelock is available to give presentations on her African journey. For more information, call (405) 620-1305.