Alden Besse, chairman of the Vineyard’s 2007 Crop Walk for the world’s hungry, recently gave Armen Hanjian, coordinator of the Island Food Pantry, a check for $4,708 from last fall’s walk.

The 101 walkers in the 17th annual crop walk Oct. 21 collected $18,830 from hundreds of Island sponsors, along with approximately $2,000 other Crop Walk receipts. The walk raised the money for the Church World Service to feed and provide for the hungry, and help them overcome poverty nearby and around the world.

Most of these walks, including the one on the Vineyard, designate a local group to receive 25 per cent of what is raised.

The Vineyard Clergy Association, The Vineyard Committee on Hunger, and the Island Food Pantry, all of which sponsor the annual walk, designated the Island Food Pantry. The $4,708 is close to 10 per cent of what the Island Food Pantry uses each year to meet expenses.

In 17 years, the Vineyard Crop Walks have raised $258,821 for Church World Service.