CROP Walks to Raise Money to Aid Hungry

Volunteers from businesses, schools, clubs, nonprofit organizations and faith communities will head to five Ventura County locations March 5 to participate in the 22nd annual CROP Walk for hunger.

CROP (Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty) walks are fund-raising activities to fight hunger locally and globally. In 1998, 247,391 people participated in more than 2,004 walks that raised more than $3 million. Walkers collect pledges; all organizers are volunteers. Twenty-five percent of the money raised goes directly to community hunger programs.

The Ventura County CROP Walk locations are:

* Camarillo, registration starts at 1 p.m., walk starts at 1:30 p.m. at Padre Serra Catholic Church, 5205 Upland Road. Contact Pat Lehman, 482-8559.

* Conejo Valley, registration starts at 12:45 p.m., walk starts at 1:30 p.m. at Cal Lutheran University stadium, 60 W. Olsen Road, Thousand Oaks. Contact Sherril Hyink, 492-3674.

* Oxnard / Port Hueneme, registration starts at 12:45 p.m., walk starts at 1:30 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 755 Bard Road, Port Hueneme. Contact Sally Dunham, 485-6358.

* Santa Paula, registration starts at 12:30 p.m., walk starts at 1 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park on Ventura and South 10th streets. Contact Nancy LaBelle, 525-6746.

* Ventura, registration starts at noon, walk starts at 1 p.m. at Cabrillo Middle School, 1426 E. Santa Clara St. Contact Judy Alexander, 647-1170.

A CROP Walk is scheduled March 7 in Ojai, with registration at 12:30 p.m. and the walk at 1 p.m. in Sarzotti Park, 510 Park Road. Contact Coryl Lassen-Willems, 646-1885.

For information, call (888) CWS-CROP.