Crop Walk 2010

Just a few weeks into my challenge, I am going to put my walking to another good use - the 2010 Crop Walk for my church (First Presbyterian Church, McMinnville). It is Sunday, May 2 and is a fundraiser for Church World Service, a cooperative ministry that provides disaster relief and help to many poor communities all over the globe to help them become self-sustaining. It addresses the root cause of poverty and powerlessness in ways such as helping women in Guatemala grow and maintain gardens that they can grow many fruits and vegetables in to help feed their families and to sell at markets. Instead of just giving them food, the ministry gives them a way to grow it themselves so they can continue to eat.

Our church participates every year and it's organized mostly by a really sweet man at our church, Chuck. When he asked if I would participate, I said I wouldn't be able to do it because I can't walk very far. But, he suggested I walk with him, and said if he can do it, I can do it. So, I said yes (Chuck broke his hip I think, and I think walking long distances is hard - so, it just goes to show me that even though walking is really hard for me, it is also a struggle for many other people).

Anyway, the Crop Walk is a fundraising walk, and while you don't pledge money per mile or anything like that, I do need to get sponsors to help me meet my goal. I have decided I'd like to raise $250, which in the organization will help provide 25 mosquito nets that can be hung over childrens' beds to keep away malaria and dengue fever-carrying insects.

So, I'd like your help! Any amount matters, and to get it kicked off, I donated $25 to my own cause. The walk is Sunday, May 2, so I have two weeks to raise $250. I really mean it when I say any amount matters, because if just 10 of you donate $10, then we already have $100, and with my $25 donation, we'd already be halfway there!

For anyone who donates by then, I'll wear a t-shirt with all of your names on it. And of course I'll post pictures on my blog as well.

To make it easy to donate, you can do it through the website. Just click here and fill in my name (Kelly Copeland) in the blank spot. It will show my name and you can donate whatever amount you want. There's even a cool thermometer goal graph that updates after each donation.

I think the site will e-mail me to let me know you've donated, but just in case, I'd love it if you commented on this post so I know to add your name to my shirt.

I am really excited about this, and proud that I have enough confidence from my challenge to get out and do this! I think I might even put the challenge name on my shirt so it would list you all as my supporters of this too. What do you all think?