The HTCC Helping Hands team fielded a 31-strong contingent at the 2013 CROP Hunger Walk/Run on Sunday, October 6, 2013, despite the inclement weather. Our youngest participant was Parth Gupta (1.5 years) and the “youngest at heart” was 79 year old Vedavalli Srinivasagopalan. Our group comprising 11 runners included our youngest runner, Akhil Elangovan at 9 years, a “father and sons” team (the Elangovans), as well as a “father-daughter” team (the Rawats).
Thanks to our fundraising walkers, runners and donors, we raised over $1,725 for the event ($1,350 in donations on behalf of the fundraisers from HTCC Helping Hands, $100 in HTCC sponsorship for the event and $275 in registration fees from our 11 runners). This makes us the team raising the most funds for the 2013 Hunger Walk/Run. The final collection for CROP Hunger Walk/Run more than doubles our original fundraising target of $750. Suryanshi Rawat was recognized as a “Silver Foot” ($500+ raised) fundraiser and Gopalaratnam as a “Bronze Foot” ($300+ raised) fundraiser.
Our runners placed in the top three finishers in almost all categories (age and gender specific groups) and included: Akhil Elangovan, Ashwath Elangovan, Bala Elangovan, Gagneesh Rawat, Kala Kumar, Pranavi Tella, Shiva Sankalp, Sumit Gupta, Suryanshi Rawat, Tarang Parashar and, Vellore S. Gopalaratnam.
Our walkers included: Abirami Shanmugasundaram, Anantha Gopalaratnam, Jasmit Khurana, Judy Code, Meena Thawani, Meera Chandrasekhar, Mohan Ram, Nagasmitha Akkinapragada, Neha Chugh-Gupta, Neil Thawani, Nidhi Khosla, Parth Gupta, Preeti Shirgur, Pushpa Agashe, Ranjana Parashar, Ravi Thawani, Srinath Gopalakrishna, Uma Srinath, Vedavalli Srinivasagopalan, and Venkata Maheswara Rao Chevendra
Twenty-five percent of funds raised will be distributed among four local efforts to fight hunger, including Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen, the Russell Chapel Food Pantry, the Latter House Kingdom Ministries Food Pantry and the Fifth Street Christian Church’s Feed the Community program. The remaining 75 percent will go toward Church World Service and will be distributed among efforts to fight hunger around the world.
Our strong showing this year achieved the two primary objectives for CROP Hunger Walk/Run. (a) To raise funds to alleviate poverty in Columbia and other parts of the world, and (b) To raise awareness of the poverty problem facing many of our fellow citizens in Columbia.
Suryanshi and Ashwath, two of our youth fundraising runners are on the Leading Fundraisers list (Yaay!). Mr. T. (Tarang that is!) was featured in a Missourian photo (wait for the photo to scroll or click on the arrow to advance photos).
