By Anna Day
Contributing Writer
On Saturday, the Monteagle Sewanee Rotary Club hosted its fourth annual Hunger Walk. The event aimed to raise $17,000 to be divided between the Community Action Committee (CAC) and the Morton Memorial Food Pantry as an effort to provide food for families across the Mountain.
In an outpouring of community sport, the walk raised $7,000 over its goal to reach $24,000 to be donated to the CAC and the Morton Memorial Food Pantry.
“The walk passed all of our expectations,” said Reverend Betty Carpenter, the director of the CAC. This year, the walk had more than 75 sponsors and 270 walkers, according to Carpenter.
The walk is a popular event each year, and turnout has increased every time, according to community member Absalom Carlisle. “This is my second year participating in this walk; I believe it’s for a great cause. It’s amazing seeing how many more people are here than last year,” Carlisle commented.
John Noffsinger, chairman of the Hunger Walk, was excited about the support the walk received and the large amount of community interest evident in the many donations sent in for the two charities.
“The weather is great, we have 76 partners who have stepped up and donated $250 each, it’s amazing,” Noffsinger said. “Our title sponsor, Lodge [Cast Iron], has donated a whopping $1,500, and that along with sponsorship money and the walker registration funds will be divided between CAC and Morton Memorial.”
Both students and faculty were seen walking, running, and strolling along the five-mile loop that started in Angel Park.
Dixon Myers, associate director of Civic Engagement, commented, “Although this is a Rotary event, it brings the town, students, staff, and everybody in the community, including the broader community, together. It’s a great way for freshmen to meet others in the surrounding areas. It helps with networking in the community; all you have to do is show up!”
As in years past, the Hunger Walk was a successful event that encouraged people of all ages to get up, be active, and work towards an ideal community where no one suffers hunger anymore.