* 28th ANNUAL GOOD FRIDAY WALK for Loaves & Fishes
JOIN THE 28th ANNUAL GOOD FRIDAY WALK - AND BRING A FRIEND!
The 28th Annual Good Friday Walk will be held on April 6, 2012. The money raised by this non-denominational walk benefits two important charities: Loaves & Fishes, the largest food pantry in North Central Massachusetts, and Sharing, Inc., which helps impoverished youth in the rural South. We need your help—either as a walker, a volunteer, or a sponsor. The more money we raise, the more you help others. (Each dollar that Loaves & Fishes receives buys 5 POUNDS of food!)
The Good Friday Walk leaves the Harvard Congregational Church, and proceeds from the Harvard Common around a scenic 5-mile loop including spectacular views (and a rest stop) at Fruitlands Musuem. Walkers can register any time from 7:30AM until 12:30PM and can walk as far as they like, as long as they finish by 5PM. It’s amazing that with relatively little physical effort, you can make a real difference in people’s lives: helping them overcome hunger and poverty. Last year, we had about 170 walkers and about 60 volunteer workers who raised a total of just over $17,000 – a 20% decrease from 2010. We’re hoping to do much better this year—and with your help, we can!
The past few years have seen a drastic decrease in donations, no doubt due to the tough economy. But because of that same tough economy, Loaves & Fishes is providing groceries to a record number of local families—over 800 in 2011. We’re hoping that people will form team, multiplying the efforts to raise money - teams from work, church, your civic group, your family, your friends, your neighbors. (This Walk definitely qualifies for community service time!) We’re asking people to “Give ‘Til It Helps.” If you aren’t walking, become a sponsor for someone who is. If you can walk, bring a friend! 80% of the money raised will go directly to Loaves & Fishes’ clients (our neighbors) from Harvard, Groton, Shirley, Ayer, Littleton and Devens (to be spent on food and personal care items for those in need), while 20% will continue to go to Sharing, Inc., an organization which helps the poor in the rural South.
What do you need to do? If you’re walking, pick up a sponsor sheet today at your local church or library, or download it at www.loavesfishespantry.org. Then, gather as many pledges or contributions as possible. (We are asking walkers to raise a minimum of $25 to participate.) On the day of the Walk, total your sponsor sheet and bring it to the Registration Desk at the Harvard Congregational Church to receive a Walker number and map. No one under the age of 18 can walk without a parent’s or guardian’s signature; walkers under age12 must have adult supervision. (Sorry, no bicycles, roller blades, scooters or skateboards are permitted.) If you can spend a couple of hours volunteering in the kitchen or at the registration desk, contact either Jeanie Colony (978-456-1239, jecolony@charter.net) or Becca Day-Newsham (978-456-8717, newsha@aol.com).
The Good Friday Walk is the biggest on-going fundraising event for Loaves & Fishes—and in these hard economic times, it’s critical to the pantry that the walk be successful. Thirty percent of our total client population consists of children under the age of 18 and seniors over 65. The people we serve are our neighbors and they need your help. This is a fun, healthy and rewarding way to support this vital organization.
Thank you for your help in making this year’s Good Friday Walk a success!
Date and Time
Friday Apr 6, 2012
