The Upshur Parish House will host the 3rd Annual Mark Petrosky Hunger Walk on October 12, 2024. This annual event aims to combat hunger in Upshur County by encouraging participants to bring food and monetary donations to support the organization’s food pantry and holiday meal program.
The event begins at the Parish House, located at 68 College Ave. in Buckhannon, with registration at 8:30 a.m. and the walk starting at 9 a.m. The walk will go from the Parish House along the Buckhannon Riverwalk trail, covering approximately 1.5 miles. Participants are encouraged to bring a $5 donation or nonperishable food items.
All donations collected at the Hunger Walk will go directly to the Parish House’s food pantry and holiday meal program for Upshur County residents. Isaac Casto, the Executive Director of the Parish House, said donations from the Hunger Walk are essential to these programs.
“We see this as the kickoff to our prep for the holiday season,” Casto said. “Our monthly pantry has been increasing steadily since last June, plus now we have our Rock Cave location and holiday baskets to consider. Donations from the Hunger Walk go directly to keeping our shelves stocked through this busy season.”
Now in its 3rd year, the Hunger Walk is in memory of Mark Petrosky, a Parish House volunteer who passed away in November 2021. Petrosky was a U.S. Army veteran, serving two tours in Iraq as well as serving in the Reserves and National Guard. He attended the First United Methodist Church in Buckhannon and the Victory Apostolic Church and was a dedicated volunteer at the Parish House.
Casto said he hopes to see the community come together for this annual event honoring Mark Petrosky.
“We’re really excited for the upcoming Hunger Walk,” he said. “We had a wonderful turnout last year and hope to see it grow again this year. It’s an important event, not just as a food drive, but as a way to raise awareness about food insecurity in our community.”
Suggested nonperishable items for donation include:
- Boxes of instant mashed potatoes
- Canned green beans
- Boxes of stuffing mix
- Canned gravy or gravy mix packages
- Jiffy pie crust mixes
- Evaporated milk
- Cranberry sauce
- Canned sweet potatoes
- Canned corn
- Canned pork ‘n beans
- Boxed cake mixes
- Canned yams
- Frosting
- Grape jelly
- Canned fruits
- Oats
- Canned beans
- Canned tuna or chicken
- Pasta sauce
- Dish soap
- Toilet tissue
- Feminine hygiene items
- Hygiene items
The Upshur Parish House is open in Buckhannon Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Thursday evenings from 5 to 7 p.m. and in Rock Cave Wednesdays 12 to 4 p.m.
Additional information about the services provided by the Upshur Parish House is available on their Facebook page, by visiting Parishhouse.org, by emailing upshurparish@gmail.com or by calling 304-472-0743.
