Only Three Days to Go - So Where Are We Walking?

Since the City is reconstructing the Promenade, we have changed our route this year. So many of us love walking along the beach, so in order not to miss that ocean view, we are walking toward Emma Wood State Beach. The rest is very familiar - up to Project Understanding (past Catholic Charities and Family to Family) and through Downtown.

Click on this link to see the map.

Walk Day Entertainment

The Ventura CROP Hunger Walk is less than one week away! We can still use help (set-up, refreshments, results counting, clean-up, donations) and we welcome anyone wishing to walk - just use the email link here or sign-up online (link on the left).
For all you walkers and helpers, we have musical and other entertainment - before and after you walk!

DJ Daniel D will be providing music in the courtyard from 12:30ish until 1:45. Pack a lunch, come early, check-in and then enjoy! DJ Daniel D has DJ'd events on the Red Carpet at Paramount Studios, has hosted public and private events for over 10 years. (He is available for private parties and weddings, offering a professional DJ service with premium sound equipment and lighting, and all styles of music, so you might think of him next time you are planning an event!)

A wonderful gift of service has returned to the Ventura Walk - footwashing! Virgil Nelson is organizing some folks to massage your tired feet as they soak in warm water . . . ah!

When you come back, you will also be greeted and entertained by the Blues Fever band. Sit down and rest, refresh yourself, and if you like, dance! The band will be playing from about 3 - 5 pm.

If you are still here, or if some of you diehards are late getting back, you can also refresh yourself with a free cup of espresso coffee! The Open Door coffee house offers espresso drinks at the church nearly every Sunday from 5-8 pm and all are welcome; this is an outreach ministry, definitely not members-only!

Great Job Online Fundraisers!

Just checked the Online Fundraising site and was very pleasantly surprised to see that our online CROP Hunger Walkers have raised more than $2,280.00 so far! If you haven't already created an online page for yourself, you're missing a very simple way to ask your friends and acquaintances to support our efforts. People can either use their credit or debit cards to make a donation or they can pledge an amount and hand you a check. Give it a try - every bit helps!

Did you drink any bottled water today?

Fact: In the U.S., we often choose to buy bottled water even though we have clean water at the tap. One of every six people in the world lacks this access to safe drinking water. Fact: Ground water in our own eastern U.S. is becoming increasingly contaminated.

Ventura’s May 1st CROP Hunger Walk helps improve community health, hygiene, and sanitation standards throughout the world. By supporting the Ventura walk, you will also improve the lives of local residents. 25% of what is raised stays in Ventura. This money will support the hunger-fighting programs of Family to Family, FoodShare, and the food pantries of Catholic Charities and Project Understanding.

Church World Service (CWS) joins forces with local partner agencies throughout the world, as well as national denominational groups such as American Baptist Churches USA, Brethren Disaster Ministries, Catholic Charities USA, Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, Lutheran Disaster Response, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Reformed Church in America, United Church of Christ, the United Methodist Committee on Relief, and Week of Compassion to provide long-term recovery as well as immediate relief. Since CWS responds whenever and wherever disaster strikes, they are in Japan, Haiti, and Louisiana today - and will stay until rebuilding has been completed.

Sign-up to walk TODAY!

There Are More Ways to Help Fight Hunger Locally and Globally

We are signing up walkers but can also use people to help put up signs and flyers, set-up and take-down on the day of the walk, donate snacks or help serve them as walkers return, or help walkers sign-in when they arrive. The walk is now a little over fiveh weeks away - how can you help?

Save the Date!

We are walking on a later date this year:

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Walkers (and runners) will be leaving later as well:

Runners will leave at 1:59pm

Walkers will leave at 2:00pm

Later in the year and later in the day, but with Daylight Saving Time, there will be lots of light left after the walk.

If you would like to get involved - as a walker, sponsor, or a steering committee member, please contact
Renata Hundley via the email link below.

THANK YOU Walkers!

A big “thank you” goes out to everyone who helped with last Sunday’s CROP Hunger Walk. Whether you walked, donated money or food, helped on the day of the walk with set-up, music and sound, refreshments, accounting, or cleanup; or whether you supported the April Fools concert with your donations and attendance (a HUGE thank you goes out to Dianna, Molly, and Steve for their generosity and wonderful talent!) – each one of you helped our local food pantries and people around the globe. The Walk involved ten Ventura churches and organizations as well as many individuals. This community pledged $15,356.00 as of Walk Day – many of these pledges have not yet been turned in and historically, much more will be donated in the next month. If you have not yet turned in your walk envelopes or would still like to donate, it’s not too late. Please see your recruiter or drop off your donations at the First United Methodist Church office as soon as you can.
Photos of the walk and the concert will be posted in a few days - in the meantime, here is a photo of one of our four-footed walkers at the end of the walk :-)