july 2010 interfaith connection newsletter, interfaith works

8/8/2019 July 2010 Interfaith Connection Newsletter, Interfaith Works

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INTERFAITH CONNECTION

Published Monthly byInterfaith Works, P.O. Box 1221, Olympia, WA 98507

[email protected] (360) 357-7224 www.Interfaith-Works.org

Interfaith Works is an association of congregations, affiliatednon-profit organizations and individuals. Our purpose is topromote interfaith understanding, and serve the community through

charitable, social and educational endeavors.JULY 2010

2010 CROP WALK

Our Community Comes Through Again

OUR LOCAL CROP

RECIPIENTS

Since 1981, $256,000 in fundsraised through CROP Walk has

gone to support local agencies andprograms fighting hunger

Sunday Dinner Feeding Ministry,Olympia First Baptist Church

Meals on Wheels SeniorNutrition Program,

Senior Services for South Sound

Out of the Woods EmergencyFood and Shelter, Olympia Uni-tarian Universalist Congregation

Sacred Heart Catholic ChurchEmergency Outreach

Community Kitchen of SalvationArmy / Olympia

Community Dinner Program,St. Benedict's Episcopal Church

Society of Saint Vincent de Paul

Thurston County Food Bank

This year, CROP Walk marked its 30th year of responding topoverty and raising funds for hunger relief.

Contributions from the May 2 Walk are still being counted, butare likely to exceed $52,000, a significant increase over last

year's total of $44,000.The granddaddy of all local charity walks and marathons,CROP Walk was the first walk-a-thon event in ThurstonCounty, and has raised overone million dollars since 1981.

Three quarters of the funds raised have gone to support theinternational programs of Church World Service (see p. 3) or

partner agencies, especially grassroots, hunger-fighting de-velopment efforts around the world. This years internationalfocus was on earthquake victims in Haiti and Chile. In addi-tion, we return 25 percent of the funds raised (over a quartermillion dollars since 1981) to hunger programs in our owncommunity, such as the Thurston County Food Bank andchurch-sponsored meal programs.

An event involving more than 500 walkers of all ages, cover-ing a route of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), doesnt just happenspontaneously. Months of hard work by dedicated volunteerleaders translated into success.

We are especially indebted to the 2010 Committee:

(Continued on page 2)


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July 2010, p. 2

CROP PARTICIPATINGORGANIZATIONS

Community for InterfaithCelebration

First Church of Christ, Scientist

First United Methodist

Gloria Dei Lutheran

Good Shepherd LutheranLacey Community Church

Lacey Presbyterian

North Thurston High School

Olympia First Baptist

Olympia Friends Meeting

Olympia Unitarian UniversalistCongregation

Pink Panthers

River Ridge High School

Sacred Heart Catholic Church

South Sound Buddhist PeaceFellowship

St. Andrews United Methodist

St. Benedicts Episcopal

St. John's Episcopal

St. Marks Lutheran

St. Michaels Parish / Society ofSaint Vincent de Paul

Temple Beth Hatfiloh

Tumwater United Methodist

United Churches of Olympia

Washington State

Attorney Generals Office /Corrections Division

Westminster Presbyterian

Co-chairs Wayne Gruen andKathy Erlandson

Treasurer Carol GruenPublicity Dave GrovesRegistration Joan DrittenbasRecruitment John BowdenEquipment Richard McCartan, Tom LindenMerchandise Lorna Linden

Special recognition and thanks also go to:

Our Honorary ChairLynn Magnuson, Managing RegionalDirector for Church World Service/CROP.

Diana Kildow, for organizing the participation of both theOlympia Highlanders Pipe & Drum Corps , and GirlScout Troop #41084, which staffed the refreshmentstand.

L&E Bottling for donating soft drinks.Volunteers from Senior Services of South Sound, who

staffed refreshment booths on the route.Salvation Army andFirst United Methodist Church van

drivers, who picked up folks who couldnt finish the walk.In addition, Thurston County Radio Watch continuallydrove the route watching for walkers in need of help.

Marcie LaViollette & Friends, who played music for walk-ers at the halfway mark, and Walt Bowen, who providedthe public address system for the opening ceremony.

Staffing the merchandising booth wereVirginia Nordman,Lisa Midles, and Jan and Pete Spiller. Registrars thisyear were Jackie Mitchell, Rob Harper, Barbara BreslinandRuth Cocuzzi.

The mainstay of CROP Walk are the teams organizedthrough local faith communities. Many of these same congre-gations help in other ways throughout the year, volunteeringat food banks and food collection drives.

Thanks to all the leaders and volunteers, local faith communi-ties and organizations, and the hundreds of individual walkers

who made this years CROP Walk such a success. We could-nt do it without each and every one of you!

Well see you next year, on the first Sunday in May!

2010 CROP (Continued from page 1)


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July 2010, p. 3

TALL

CROPS2010

In honor of hislast CROP Walk

before retire-ment, The United

Churches helpedRev. Mark Dowdy

raised $3,613.

Kia Juarez, a junior atRiver Ridge High School,recruited 43 walkers fromher school.

Wyat Tayor, also at RiverRidge, was the big raiserwith $404.

Courtney Gruen, age 131/2, raised $2,020 fromFirst United Methodist

Founded in 1946, Church WorldService (CWS) is a cooperativeministry of 36 Christian denomi-nations and communions, provid-ing sustainable self-help, devel-opment, disaster relief, and refu-gee assistance around the world.CWS mission is to eradicatepoverty, hunger and to promotepeace and justice at the nationaland international level throughcollaboration with partnersabroad and in the U.S.

ABOUT CHURCH WORLD SERVICE

Church World Service works with partners in the U.S. and

around the world to build interfaith and intercultural coalitionsto eradicate hunger and poverty and promote peace and jus-tice. Together, were supporting sustainable grassroots devel-opment, disaster relief, and refugee assistance.

CROP Hunger Walks help to provide food and water, as wellas resources that empower people to meet their own needs.

From seeds and tools, to wells and water systems, to techni-cal training and micro-enterprise loans, the key is peopleworking together to identify their own development priorities,their strengths and their needs. The website iswww.churchworldservice.org

CROP Walkers from The United

Churches of Olympia gather on the steps

of the Capitol with Rev. Mark Dowdy

(standing, far right; see above) before

the walk starts.


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July 2010, p. 4

Perennially, Thurston County is the

first or second largest CROP Walk in

Washington State, and consistentlyamong the top 50 in the whole na-

tion out of about 2000 Walks held

each year!

SUPPORT OUT OF THEWOODS MATCHING GRANT

Out of the Woods, an emergency housing and foodservice run by the Olympia Unitarian UniversalistCongregation, and a local CROP Walk funds recipi-ent, has recently received a matching grant from theLucky Seven Foundation. The grant will match, dol-lar for dollar, up to $5,000 raised by OTW from newdonors (people who have not given to OTW for thepast three years) or people who donate or pledge anamount at least twice what they donated last year.To receive grant funds, we have to provide docu-mentation showing names and the amount donated.

This is a great opportunity to double the benefits ofnew donations and further the work of Out of the

Woods. Donations can be made on-line through thewebsite, www.OutOfTheWoods.com, or by check.Mail to Out of the Woods, 2300 East End St NW,Olympia, WA 98502. Out of the Woods is a separate501(c)3 organization.

Top CROP Walks in Washington State, 2008

$70,422

$59,529

$34,475$31,738

$19,735

Bainbridge Island Thurston

County/Olympia

Renton Spokane Seattle

$70,422

$59,529

$34,475$31,738

$19,735

The Olympia Highlanders lead the CROP Walk

Walkers of all ages participate in CROP Walk


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COMMUNITY CALENDARA listing of some of the activities and events of Interfaith Works members, affiliated organizations, and of general interest.

IW does not necessarily endorse these events. More details and events at www.Interfaith-Works.org.

July 2010, p. 5

June 19

Saturday9:15-3 pm

Walkinga Sacred Path to Quiet the Mind and Open the Soul. Learn why the ancient

labyrinth has endured as a symbol of lifes sacred journey. Priory Spirituality Center, 500College St NE, Lacey 98516. $60, pre-registration required. 438-255 www.stplacid.org.

Jun 28-Jul 2Mon-Fri

Mediation Training. 40 hour professional mediation training with the Dispute ResolutionCenter. 8 am5 pm. Cost $625. Contact 360-956-1155. www.mediatethurston.org.

July 4Sunday

10:30 am

Join Interfaith Works in Tumwaters 4th of July Parade. Bring your faith communityand/or yourself as we celebrate diversity and interfaith partnership. Contact IW office,

360-357-7224;[email protected]. Info at www.ci.tumwater.wa.us/Parks.htm

July 10Saturday8 am-3 pm

The United Churches of Olympia Yard Sale. Our annual yard sale fundraiser with lots ofgood items! If you have items to contribute, drop them off on Friday, July 9. 110 11th AveSE, Olympia, 98501. BBQ to follow.

July 16-18Fri-Sun

Chant and Pilgrim Songs Retreat. A unique weekend at St. Andrew House Retreat Cen-ter on Hood Canal singing Gregorian chant, pilgrim songs from Spain and Italy, and more!

Registration $260 includes lodging, meals, instruction. Info at www.centerforsacredart.org.July 18Sunday3 pm

Voices of the Cambodian Holocaust with Speakers Daran Kravanh, Killing Fields survi-vor, and Rokaih Vansot. Pleasant Glade Elementary School, 1920 Abernathy Rd NE,Lacey. Free will offering.

July 24-25Sat-SunNoon-7 pm

24th Annual Ethnic Fest. Enjoy performing arts, visual arts, crafts, dancing, informationand foods representing cultures from around the globe. Admission is free. Wright Park, 501S I St., Tacoma 98405. www.metroparkstacoma.org/page.php?id=724

July 24Saturday

9 am-3 pm

God the Artist: We the Co-Creators. A retreat in clay to stimulate our creative souls.Meet at the Priory Spirituality Center, travel to clay studio. 500 College St NE, Lacey 98516.

$60, bring lunch. www.stplacid.org, 438-2595.

NOW YOU CAN SUBMIT EVENTS ON-LINE!

Thanks to our dedicated webmaster Scott Bishop, there is a beta version ofan events form on the website to fill out and submit.

From the Events, Current page on our website, click on the link called Clickhere if you want to send an announcement to IW. Then, click on the SubmitEvent link. This opens a form for you to fill out. After all the fields have beenfilled in, click Submit Request.

Your event must be approved, but can now be posted to the website muchfaster. I apologize for prior omissions or delays. This is brand new, so let usknow if you encounter problems, or have suggestions on how to improve it.

Visit our website for

more eventsnot listed here,links to our

member faithcommunities and

organizations,

Sign up for ournewsletter

via postal or e-mail


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OUR COMMUNITY

COMES THROUGH!

$52,000 RAISEDIN MAY 2CROP WALK

and still counting!

Thank you,walkers and sponsors

(Read more inside)

Interfaith WorksPO Box 1221Olympia WA 98507

Non-Profit Org.

U.S. PostagePAID

Permit No. 325Olympia, WA 98501

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Support

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Tuesday

JOIN INTERFAITH WORKS IN THE

4TH

OF JULY PARADE!

Join a delegation from Interfaith Works march-ing in Tumwater's 4th of July Parade!

We invite you and your faith communityto join in the fun.

Help celebrate diversity and interfaithpartnership. Families and kids are

especially welcome.

Interested? Let us know soonby contacting the IW office,[email protected],

or 357-7224.

The parade startsat 11:00 am. (arrive

early to march)

www.interfaith-works.org

july 2010 interfaith connection newsletter, interfaith works

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