CROP Walk orientation breakfast planned

Plans are being finalized for the 29th annual Conejo Valley CROP Walk. CROP is an acronym for Communities Reaching Out to People.

Locally, it's a 6.2-mile (or shorter 4.5-mile) walk to raise funds for worldwide relief and also for five nonprofit charity groups at home. It will begin, at 1 p.m., and end at Cal Lutheran University on Sun., March 11.

If you're a member of a group that might be interested, please attend an orientation breakfast at 8:30 a.m. Sat., Jan. 27 at St. Patrick's Church, 1 Church Road, Thousand Oaks. Walker supplies and information will be given out at that time. Call the number below beforehand so materials can be ready.

For more information about walking or sponsoring the March 11 event, call Sherrill Hyink at (805) 492-3674.

CROP Walks are interfaith, noncompetitive, intergenerational events. Twenty-five percent of the funds raised benefit local agencies. The remaining money is channeled through Church World Service/ CROP and used in more than 70 countries.

Church World Service uses CROP funds to provide help in the aftermath of war, floods, earthquakes, famine, hurricanes and tsunamis. In third world countries, CROP funds provide tools and education.

Last March, more than 400 Conejo Valley residents and their sponsors participated. In the Conejo Valley alone, more than $42,000 was raised.

The drive helped generate $8,000 that went to Meals on Wheels, Manna Food Bank, Lutheran Social Services and Catholic Charities. The goal for this year is 500 walkers and $50,000.