Ferris students and the Big Rapids community came together to fight hunger on Sunday, October 5, with a double event: Hunger Around the World and the CROP Hunger Walk.
“The American Marketing Association has been helping put on the CROP Walk in Big Rapids for five years now,” says marketing major Anders Johnson. “It’s a really good way for students to get involved at the beginning of the year.”
Several campus fraternities and RSOs gathered in the IRC at noon for the five star event Hunger Around the World. Various stations were on display to explain the issue of hunger and how it affects different parts of the world. “This year, we brought in Hunger Around the World to compliment the CROP Walk so people could learn about what they’re walking for,” Johnson says.
The CROP Hunger Walk began at 2 PM, taking participants on either a two and a half or four and a half mile walk through Big Rapids. Kate Bewak is a junior in Public Relations and team leader for the Ferris State PR walking team. “We’re walking to raise awareness,” Bewak says. “Food is a necessity of life. There are a lot of people that don’t even get a full meal a day.”
Ferris State Public Relations won a specially marked gold sneaker for donating $190, the highest amount by a Ferris organization.
25 percent of the event’s proceeds went to the local food pantry, Project Starburst. The rest went to CROP’s sponsor Church World Service; the organization sponsors CROP Walks across the nation. CROP Hunger Walk’s website explains that money raised not only buys food and water, but also “resources that empower people to meet their own needs.” Specifically, funds can be allocated to purchase seeds, technical training, and micro-enterprise loans.
Anders Johnson encourages students to participate in future events. “Look out for the CROP Walk next year,” Johnson says. “It’s a good community service event for groups on campus to get involved in and student involvement has grown every year, so that’s good to see.”
Hunger Around the World and the CROP Hunger Walk raised a total of $1,170. For more information visit the Church World Service website at cwsglobal.org.