October 14, 2011
St. Vincent de Paul hosts ‘Walk for the poor’
Vince Brenner of Evansville, dressed as St. Vincent de Paul, prepares to lead the annual “Walk for the Poor” Oct. 1 at the State Hospital Grounds in Evansville. (Message photo by Paul R. Leingang) Click for a larger version.
By PAUL R. LEINGANG (Message editor)
“We really did need the funds,” said Vince Brenner. “We have a lot of people who are asking for help, not just unemployed people but underemployed people also.”
A walk in the park will bring about $21,000 for the St. Vincent de Paul Society to use in direct aid to clients in southwestern Indiana. Participants in a Walk for the Poor Oct. 1 raised almost $10,000; corporate sponsors contributed more than $15,000.
Registered walkers — 199 individuals walkers — participated in the 2011 Friends of the Poor Walk on the grounds of the State Hospital in Evansville. The total from the walkers, now about $9,500, is not yet completely tallied, as some money pledged or matched is still trickling in.
Additionally, 42 corporate sponsors paid $15,776, not counting the value of in-kind donations of items and services.
The walk is said to be one of the best in the nation, one of many organized each year since 2008 on a Saturday near the feast day of St. de Paul, Sept. 27. Next year, the walk is scheduled in Evansville on Saturday, Sept. 29.
Friends of the Poor Walk is a national program coordinated by the national SVDP office. The inaugural event took place in 2008 with the purpose of providing local conferences and councils with a framework to raise funds. The event has grown each year, attracting over 18,000 walkers, raising over $1.4 million with over 1,000 conferences and councils participating.