Harlem Civic Association hosts first Hunger Walk to support food bank

This was the fifth year the Harlem Civic Association hosted a Fall Festival-sometimes billed as 'the last picnic of the season.' The Association hosted a first ever Hunger Walk as part of this fall's event. Organizers said 70+ people signed up and paid the $30 fee to walk. The money will go toward support of the local food bank. The Civic Association has operated for more than a decade funding and organizing various events to "improve life in our community."

By walk time, at 2 pm, the weather had settled down and it was near perfect weather for walking-sunny and just a little cool. The walkers started out from City Hall, winding their way east, a short way south, then back west to the edge of town, another loop east and back to City Hall. All in all they walked just over three miles. The walk was complete with a sag wagon, water and cookie breaks at strategic points and plenty of encouragement among the walkers and from the organizers.

Jack Siemens, who is the volunteer head of the food bank, said the Harlem-based facility serves between 45-100 families each quarter. Four times a year a family can receive 10 pounds of food per family member, up to 50 pounds total. Siemens said food is purchased with donations and other groups contribute goods to be distributed.

Siemens said, "Some of what the food bank receives from today's event will be used to purchase food. We'll also use some as a match for the $1,000 we can receive through Town Pump." A partnership with a native American group in Rapid City, South Dakota, provides a monthly supply of non-food needs, like paper products, to help families dealing with hunger. "The rest," Siemens added, "comes from local gifts of food and monetary donations."

Once the walk was completed, walkers and additional guests headed to the Harlem VFW for an indoor cookout. Threatening weather brought the traditional barbeque by the Association inside. Volunteers had already set up the chicken coop for 'chicken bingo,' a tradition at the Fall Festival. The Stonebroke String Bank provided entertainment during the indoor picnic.

It was a great event for a worthy cause. Future Hunger Walks will likely be a part of the annual Fall Festival. Can you believe the next Association-sponsored event will be the Christmas Stroll? It will be here before we know it.