wfn.org | 1997 CROP WALK FOR HUNGER TIES IN WITH LANDMINE ISSUE

[CAROL_FOUKE.parti@ecunet.org (CAROL FOUKE)]

1997 CROP WALK FOR HUNGER TIES IN WITH LANDMINE ISSUE
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
Internet: c/o carol_fouke.parti@ecunet.org

Contact: Wendy S. McDowell, NCC, 212-870-2227
 In N.C.: Frances Daniel, CEFR, 704-333-9255

NCC10/14/97  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FROM CHARLOTTE TO CAMBODIA: CROP WALKERS RAISE MONEY FOR 
THOSE WHO WALK FOR FOOD AND THOSE WHO CANNOT WALK DUE TO 
LANDMINES
Among Participants is 80-Year-Old Who Sees 1997 Walk as His 
"Swan Song"

 NEW YORK, Oct. 14 ---- Throughout the fall, people 
around the United States are walking to raise money for 
those worldwide who must walk long distances to get food and 
water as well as for people who can no longer walk because 
they have been injured by landmines.

"We always say that `we walk because they walk,' 
meaning that we walk in solidarity with the people all over 
the world who must walk for food and water to sustain their 
families," explained the Rev. Dr. Rodney Page, Executive 
Director of Church World Service, which sponsors CROP WALKS.  
"But this year, with our effort to end the production and 
use of landmines, we can also say that we walk for those who 
can no longer walk because of the scourge of landmines."

 There are nearly 2,000 locally organized CROP WALKS 
across the country every year.  The sponsor, Church World 
Service (CWS), is the disaster relief, human development and 
refugee assistance ministry of the National Council of 
Churches.  CROP, which originally stood for the Christian 
Rural Overseas Program, began in the Midwest in 1947 as a 
general appeal for farm commodities for CWS.  Today CROP, no 
longer an acronym, denotes CWS community-based events to 
help stop hunger.

CROP WALK participants collect monetary pledges and 
donations from family and friends to be used locally and in 
support of CWS's efforts in more than 70 countries around 
the world, including the U.S.  Up to 25 percent of the money 
raised is given to local hunger-fighting agencies.  The 
remainder goes to CWS overall efforts, including grass-roots 
hunger-fighting projects in Cambodia that reclaim land for 
farming by removing landmines.

CWS has been an active member of the International 
Campaign to Ban Landmines since 1992.  The Campaign was 
recently given the Nobel Peace Prize.  Since May of this 
year, CWS has been circulating petitions at CROP WALKS 
around the country calling on President Clinton to support a 
total ban on the production and use of landmines. "We hope 
to use the petitions to continue pressuring the President to 
sign on to the international `Ottawa Treaty' banning 
landmines in December," Dr. Page said.

"26,000 people around the world lose life or limb each 
year to anti-personnel landmines.  Most casualties are 
civilians, and 60 percent are children under age 15, so this 
is an urgent need like hunger," Dr. Page explained.  "Mines 
also prevent people from planting and claim family 
breadwinners, so there is a direct link to hunger."

80-Year-Old Charlotte, North Carolina, Man to Participate in 
His Last CROP WALK

 Among this year's more than 250,000 participants will 
be an 80-year-old man from Charlotte, North Carolina, who 
can no longer walk himself but will have a team of eight to 
ten people walking for him.

 Sam Ryburn of Charlotte, N.C., has Parkinson's Disease.  
He is unable to walk and has recently deteriorated to the 
point that he cannot even write or use his computer.  "I am 
getting older by the minute," he said, "so this will have to 
be my last CROP WALK."

 "This last walk is going to be my swan song," he said.  
"I hope it will be a sweet one."

Mr. Ryburn has raised more than $90,000 in his 12 years 
as a CROP walker, making him one of the nation's top CROP 
WALK fundraisers.  He has helped to make the Charlotte walk 
the biggest, most successful walk in the country.  In this, 
his 13th and last year, he hopes to reach a lifetime total 
of $100,000.

With help, Mr. Ryburn has sent out cards to 480 
prospective donors from his own personal database.  He has 
also enlisted Ruby Tuesday, a national restaurant chain 
headquartered in Atlanta, to help.  Restaurant managers 
decided to hold "dress down days" Oct. 11 and 12.  On those 
days, employees wore their own clothes, including CROP t-
shirts, rather than a uniform.  They made contributions and 
encouraged customers to do the same.

 Several regional managers from the restaurant and local 
employees in the Charlotte area will attend the October 19 
Charlotte walk, which will include a special celebration 
honoring Mr. Ryburn.

 "Sam has been an inspiration to people across the 
country," said Frances Daniel, Associate Director for the 
Carolinas Region for the Church World Service Community 
Education and Fund Raising (CEFR).  "He lets people know why 
it is important to make a difference in the world and stop 
hunger.  He represents the spirit of CROP WALKS, because he 
educates people about hunger."

 Mr. Ryburn became involved with the CROP WALK through 
his church, the Covenant Presbyterian Church in Charlotte.  
He said he tells people that "hunger is so basic" and that 
"children are starving everywhere, including right here."  
Although he gives to a lot of different charities, he said 
he chose CROP WALKS for his greatest efforts because "the 
money goes farther with CROP than with any other 
organization I know of."

 "It costs so little to provide a meal, but it is so 
essential," Mr. Ryburn said.  "Children cannot grow up to 
get a scholarship for college if they don't get enough to 
eat."

 Mr. Ryburn, a retired businessman, said he stresses to 
people like himself who have never had to go hungry, 
"There's a lot to be thankful for, and something to eat is 
one of the most important things to be thankful for."

 Mr. Ryburn's work for CROP had become "a year-round 
operation."  Now that he is forced to give it up, he said he 
hopes to turn his list over to "someone who has the time and 
energy to continue it."  He said the secret to raising so 
much money is "to ask literally everyone.  You would be 
surprised how willing people are to help, if you only ask."

 Ms. Daniel remarked, "I've seen little elementary 
school children who have seen Sam and said, `I've seen Mr. 
Ryburn and know what we need to do,' then gone out and 
raised four or five hundred dollars."  "His spirit for this 
effort will live on in everyone he has touched."

CROP WALKS Continue to Grow

 Thanks to people like Sam Ryburn, CROP WALKS continue 
to grow and continue to raise much needed funds for the 
hungry.  "In many communities, CROP WALKS have become an 
enduring local tradition," said the Rev. Mel Luetchens, CEFR 
Director for CWS.  "The walks bring people of all ages and 
faiths together.  I have even been at a walk where someone's 
dog raised money!"

 In 1996, 2,003 community events including CROP WALKS, 
canvases and fasts raised over $14 million to fight hunger.  
Over $3.3 million of that amount went to 2,895 local hunger-
fighting agencies, including food banks, pantries and 
community gardens.  For example, the Charlotte CROP WALK 
raises money for the local Crisis Assistance Ministry, 
Loaves and Fishes Program and the Metrolina Food Bank.

 Interfaith CROP WALKS began in the late 1960s.  
Originally 10-mile events, today CROP Hunger WALKS - usually 
10 kilometers or less in length - are the focal educational 
and fundraising event for CWS.

 In addition to the efforts in Cambodia, CWS "funds 
overseas programs that range from a fish-raising project in 
Honduras to a tree nursery in Burkina Faso," said Jackie 
Carlson, Assistant to the Director for Program 
Interpretation, CWS/CEFR.

 Anyone who would like to take part in his/her local 
CROP WALK or to make a donation to CWS can reach his/her 
nearest CWS/CEFR regional office toll-free by phoning 1-888-
CWS-CROP (1-888-297-2767).

 For more information about CWS programs and facts about 
landmines, see the CWS webpage at www.ncccusa.org/cws

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