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The Upshur Parish House will host its annual Hunger Walk on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., bringing neighbors together to support the Parish House food pantry while offering a new opportunity for the community to gather and learn more about its work.
Rather than centering the event solely around a traditional walking route, the Parish House is expanding the day into a community open house with free food, family activities, friendly competition and opportunities to explore the properties used for Parish House programs.
“We’ve been thinking about how the Hunger Walk can become more than simply a fundraiser or a walk,” said Parish House Executive Director Isaac Casto. “We want it to be a day when people come spend time with their neighbors, see what happens at the Parish House, and feel like they’re part of this place.”
The event will begin at 11 a.m. at the Upshur Parish House, 68 College Avenue in Buckhannon. Admission is free and everyone is welcome. Those who preregister will receive free pizza, and advance registration will also help organizers plan for attendance and activities. Preregistration is encouraged but is not required to attend.
Individuals, families and community organizations are also encouraged to participate as teams. Churches, businesses, schools, youth groups, clubs and groups of friends can compete for recognition in two categories: the team bringing the most participants and the team collecting the most nonperishable food for the Parish House pantry.
Last year’s Hunger Walk collected 1,725 food items for the pantry and generated $9,275 in financial contributions. This year, organizers are placing greater emphasis on participation and food collection rather than setting a financial fundraising goal.
“Financial support is always important to the work we do, but that’s not how we’re measuring the success of this year’s event,” Casto said. “I’d love to see us collect even more food than last year, but just as importantly, we want to see more people here. Whether someone has volunteered with us for years, received help from the Parish House, or has never been through our doors before, they’re invited.”
The Hunger Walk is a longtime Parish House tradition honoring the memory of Mark Petrosky, a dedicated volunteer whose commitment to service reflected the spirit of the organization. This year’s event will continue to recognize Petrosky while building on that tradition as a broader celebration of neighbors helping neighbors.
Family activities are still being finalized and will be announced as the event approaches. Plans include activities for children as well as opportunities for visitors to learn more about the Parish House and the programs operating from its College Avenue properties.
Participants are encouraged to bring nonperishable food donations for the pantry but are not required to donate, join a team or participate in every activity to attend.
“We’ve tried to make the invitation as simple as possible,” Casto said. “Come as a neighbor. Bring some food if you can, bring your family or a team if you’d like, and spend part of your Saturday with us.”
The Upshur Parish House Hunger Walk will be held Saturday, Sept. 26, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 68 College Avenue in Buckhannon. Preregistration is available at givebutter.com/parish-house-hunger-walk. Additional updates will be shared through the Upshur Parish House Facebook page and Hunger Walk Facebook event.
For additional information, contact the Upshur Parish House at 304-472-0743 or office@parishhouse.org.
