By Jacqueline Chafart, Staff Writer

Members of the Trinity Hall community helped raise awareness for hunger by participating in the Red Bank Crop Walk on Oct. 19. This event supports 15 local programs in Monmouth County and around the world through Church World Service Global in the fight to end hunger.  

Many students chose to combat hunger by participating in the five mile walk while others worked at the water station distributing water to passing runners or walkers.

Seniors Grace N. and Kelly C. volunteer at the water station at the Crop Walk in Red Bank on Oct. 22. (Photo by Anna Phillips)

“As a freshman, this was the first service project that I attended and I thought it [was] amazing how my simple contribution with my friends could make such an impact on the fight for hunger,” freshman Sydney Torres said. “I really enjoyed distributing water and directing people as they walked along the trail.”

The community also donated 240 food items, including peanut butter, rice, beans and soup, which were given to more than two dozen local food pantries. Members of the freshman class also took part in the annual banner contest by designing banners that illustrated the theme of this year’s walk, “Enough for All,” to display at the event. Trinity Hall students swept the top three spots in the contest with Hannah Bates and Emily Minkler placing first, Sanan Gueyikian and Ellie Thompson placing second, and Dayra  Mejia-Reyes and Mary Catherine Clark placing third.

Sophomore Vienna Chafart and seniors Kelly Cusick and Grace Niro took part in the Crop Walk as teen leaders. The teen leaders encouraged students around Monmouth County to represent their school and get involved in the event. They held a meeting over the summer during which they reviewed the history of the Crop Walk and organized its publicity.

“I enjoyed participating in the Crop Walk because it was the first service project I took part in my freshman year. I saw how important it was to the community and wanted to make my own contribution as a Trinity Hall student,” Chafart said.