On Sunday afternoon, 227 caring souls soaked up the sunshine as they walked to help stop hunger both locally and throughout the world.
Individuals (and dogs) from 13 churches in Oxford, Orion and Auburn Hills participated in the 27th Annual CROP Walk held at Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church on Waldon Rd. in Orion Township.
Participants collected an estimated $13,903 worth of pledges prior to the event, then walked either a two-mile or six-mile route near the church.
Seventy-five percent of the funds raised by the CROP Walk go to Church World Service, a multi-denominational, cooperative ministry that uses the money to help needy people in the United States and 80 other countries.
Founded in 1946, CWS works to eradicate hunger and poverty and promote peace and justice through hunger relief efforts, providing emergency aid in disaster situations, assisting refugees, providing safe drinking water, promoting health care and sanitation, improving farming methods and educating people to help themselves.
The remaining 25 percent generated by the CROP Walk stays local with 15 percent going to Oxford-Orion FISH, 5 percent to Love In the Name of Christ, and 5 percent to St. Vincent DePaul.
During its previous 26 years, the Lake Orion/Oxford CROP Walk raised $471,111, helping Michigan become the leading fund-raising region in the nation for 22 years.
Representatives from Christ the King Church, located on W. Drahner Rd. in Oxford, received the Golden Shoe Award for last year’s CROP Walk because they raised 51 percent more than their previous best year.
The award was presented to Christ the King’s CROP Walk recruiter, Judy Bailey, and the church’s pastor, Rev. Bob Holt.