October 9, 2009
Organizers pleased with St. Vincent de Paul Friends of the Poor Walk
Participants walk a tree-shaded path on the State Hospital grounds in Evansville during the annual Friends of St. Vincent de Paul Walk for the Poor held on Oct. 4. (Message photo by Paul R. Leingang) Click for a larger version.
By PAUL R. LEINGANG (Message editor)
The particpation in the annual St. Vincent de Paul Friends of the Poor Walk “shows the depth of support in the community,” said Bill Hussman. The annual walk at the State Hospital grounds in Evansville, Oct. 4, attracted 180 walkers and raised an estimated $18,000 to $19,000.
Joann Hussmann organized the event in Evansville.
The funds, from walkers and sponsors, will be divided among three services of the district — to the food pantry and to the thrift store in Evansville, and to assist the 26 conferences in the district council.
The conferences help individuals and families with utility bills, paying for prescriptions and other emergency needs.
In Jasper, 77 walkers participated in a Friends of the Poor Walk on Sept. 26. They raised just over $6,000, according to Judy Sonderman, a member of the Holy Family Conference in Jasper. She said St. Vincent de Paul assisted more than 9,000 people last year; the most common needs included utilities, rent and medical bills.
Jerry Vaal and Gerald Vonderheide organized the walk in Jasper, with the help of a team of volunteers.
As of Oct. 6, more than $1 million had been reported by walk locations across the United States, according to Victoria Berger at the national headquarters of St. Vincent de Paul Society in St. Louis.
Berger said there were 183 locations this year, compared to 112 a year ago. In 2008, the first year for the walk, $830,000 was raised, with about 10,000 walkers participating.
With 20 percent of the locations not yet counted, Berger said the money raised added up to $1,050,000. There were more than 14,000 participants at the reporting locations.
Walk locations in 2009 included Indianapolis, Crown Point and Ander-son, all in Indiana, Belleville in Illlinois and Louisville, Ky.