Although the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown a wrench in many events, St. Luke’s Society, the school’s largest service club, adapted to new guidelines and hosted the annual Crop Walk on campus on Sunday, November 1. Originally scheduled for October 18, the Crop Walk was delayed by two weeks due to four positive COVID-19 tests and the immediate school-wide quarantine. 

The Crop Walk is an annual event that raises awareness and funds for world hunger. In past years, the school participated in a 10 kilometer walk at Housatonic Valley Regional High School. In past years, the school raised around $5000 annually and won the Golden Sneaker, which is awarded annually to the institution that raises the most money in the Fall’s Village Sector. The school has won the Golden Sneaker for four consecutive years, but the award will not be given in 2020.

This year, St. Luke’s organized three different walking routes on campus – to Fairfield Farm, Ranger Cabin, and Terrapin Cabin. Students supported the event by donating directly to the fundraiser or by attending the event and walking. Ahead of the walk, St. Luke’s held a sticker design competition; the three winning designs, two by Katerina Gill ’21 and one by Libby Cobera ’24, were distributed to people who donated at least $3. Those who donated $5 were entered into a raffle to win a $50 gift certificate to a local restaurant of their choice. 

Twenty-five percent of funds raised go towards relieving hunger in our immediate local community and the remaining 75 percent go to relieving worldwide hunger. Mrs. Caroline Burchfield, St. Luke’s faculty advisor, said, “According to a new [United Nations] report, the coronavirus pandemic could push up to 132 million people into hunger by the end of 2020. Local food pantries are at capacity, with several struggling to meet demand. The Crop Walk, and our participation in it, is important because we can raise money to help meet the growing needs.”

In spite of the challenges posed by the pandemic, the spirit for fundraising and service on campus has not dwindled. Nithya Chundi ’23 said, “Although the Crop Walk was different this year, a positive aspect of walking in small groups was that I got to meet and walk with a diverse group of people I hadn’t previously met. I loved the school spirit aspect as well.”