6,000
walk, run to put food on others' tables
The
Published on: 03/13/06
Cap Putt and his 22-month-old daughter Wallace were still flushed from their
earlier 10K run of the day as they lined up with the pack of runners and
walkers at Turner Field on Sunday for a more leisurely 5K walk-run to fight
hunger in North Georgia.
"We won the stroller division," Putt joked of the earlier
afternoon event. This time, he and Wallace were joined by his wife and two
young sons and thousands of other walkers and runners at the starting line at
Turner Field.
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOST
POPULAR STORIES
Organizers of the 22nd annual
Hunger Walk/Run couldn't have scripted a better day for the family event, which
drew more than 6,000 participants under blue skies and near-record-high March
temperatures.
A festival atmosphere put the crowd in an upbeat mood as children bounced on
inflatable slides, tossed beanbags, blew bubbles, practiced the electric slide
and waited their turn to buy ice cream.
Bands and entertainers were stationed along the race route, which wound past
the state Capitol and through the streets of downtown
The event was expected to raise more than $200,000 to benefit the hungry,
said Bill Bolling, executive director of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, organizer of the event.
Funds will support the food bank as well as five other nonprofit organizations:
the Episcopal Charities Foundation, Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta,
Lutheran Services of Georgia, Presbyterian Answer to Hunger, and St. Vincent de
Paul Society.
"This is the one day we invite the whole community — Christians, Muslims
and Jews — to come together in the shared cause of fighting hunger," Bolling said.
The registration fee of $25 for runners and vendor sales goes to put food on
the table for the hungry throughout the year.
Karen Killiam, her husband, Kevin, and their two
teenagers visited with friends from the Community of Grace Lutheran Church as
they waited for the second race/walk to begin.
"It's important to come out and support those less fortunate, and it's
good family time too," she said.