Editors, Vineyard Gazette;

Over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, the 2022 Martha’s Vineyard CROP Hunger Walk continued to receive contributions, and we’re delighted to now share that we raised $26,174.51. This is the outcome of wonderfully generous support from the Island community.

We had a strong turnout of 120 walkers and helpers (and 15 dogs) on a memorably beautiful walk day in October, our first fully in-person event since 2019, and received nearly 400 contributions of checks or on-line donations as well as many envelopes of old-fashioned cash.

While the 2022 total is a slight decline from 2021, it is still the fourth best donation total in our 32-year history.

The money raised by our three-mile fundraising walk will serve both our community and hungry people around the world. Later this winter, a total $6,544, one-quarter of our total, will be sent to Island Grown Initiative in support of the Island Food Pantry and to the Vineyard Committee on Hunger for use in its support of the food distribution programs on the Island.

The remainder of the proceeds will go to programs in the fight against hunger supported by Church World Service across the world.

We are writing now to thank the many walkers, donors and walk day helpers — including members of nine Island churches, the Rotary Club of Martha’s Vineyard, and the high school’s Interact Club — for all the ways that so many people contributed to the success of the 2022 MV CROP Walk.

We also wish to thank the Good Shepherd Parish for once again giving us the use of the grounds of St. Augustine’s Church in Vineyard Haven as our gathering spot for starting and finishing the walk, and special thanks to Monique Burr of Card My Yard for the large and colorful lawn display sign she provided, and to Steve Broderick who constructed the arch that we decorated and used as walk’s starting line and finish line.

We’re also grateful for the music that Molly Conole and Mark Lovewell offered as the walkers returned from the walk route, the food that was generously set out, particularly by Peggy Yoars, and the posters that Chris Decker at Tisbury Printer provided us to publicize the walk.

The 2023 MV CROP Walk will take place Oct. 15 and planning for it will start up in April. Our committee would relish additional hands to help us carry out this lively, worthwhile community endeavor. Please reach out to us through our Facebook page, which also provides other contact information.

On behalf of the MV CROP Hunger Walk Organizing Committee,

Woody Bowman

West Tisbury