These shoes were made for walking


Middletown CROP Hunger Walk Committee | August 21, 2015

The famous CROP Walkers. Photo: Middletown CROP Hunger Walk Committee

The famous CROP Walkers. Photo: Middletown CROP Hunger Walk Committee

In Middletown, New York, one of our CROP Hunger Walk participants has developed a unique yet practical approach to communicating his participation in the Walk. He purchased a pair of neon orange running shoes dedicated specifically for fund raising for the Walk. Ten months out of the year these shoes reside in their box in his closet. Each September, one month before the Walk at announcement time, these shoes, now dubbed his “CROP Walkers,” come out of hibernation and initiate the annual CROP Walk fund raising activities for his church congregation.

My friend says that the shoes are so bold that everyone who sees them has to make a comment. He uses that entree as a way to introduce others to the CROP Hunger Walk, explain his participation, and help his fund raising efforts. Within his congregation his CROP Walkers have become an easily recognized symbol for the Walk and have helped spur his team to increase their fund raising efforts for each of the past several years! A few weeks after the Walk, when the final efforts of their team has been tallied, again at announcement time, the CROP Walkers come off his feet and go back into the box to hibernate once again until next year’s Walk.