BETHEL — The West Parish Congregational Church is kicking off the upcoming CROP Walk in September by holding a community potluck at 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 22, said church member Jane Chandler.

CROP stands for “Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty.”

Chandler said that the CROP Walk is a 5K event, where participants raise money for the Church World Service by finding people to sponsor them.

The Church World Service, according to a news release, “partners with aid agencies around the world to provide disaster relief as well as long-term micro-loans and development projects in more than 80 countries.”

Although the West Parish Congregational Church has been hosting a CROP Walk in Bethel for 11 years, Chandler said that the community potluck that precedes it is something created recently.

“People can bring any food that they feel like eating,” Chandler said. “We’re also asking that people bring a can of food to donate to the Bethel Food Pantry.

“One exciting thing about this year’s potluck dinner is that we have a guest speaker,” she said.

Amy Porter, the associate field director for Church World Service, will visit the potluck to explain to those attending where the money raised from the CROP Walk goes, Chandler said.

“We’re excited to have Amy visit,” Chandler said. “We’ve never had a guest speaker at our potluck, let alone one from the Church World Service.”

Chandler said that there will also be a slideshow that “depicts the work of Church World Service in over 80 countries.”

Seventy-five percent of the money raised from the CROP Walk will go to the Church World Service, while the remaining 25 percent will go to the Bethel Food Pantry, Chandler said.

The CROP Walk is scheduled for Sept. 21.

For more information, contact Chandler at 357-3524.

mdaigle@sunjournal.com

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