National Youth Conference Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colo. July 22-27, 2006
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The start of the REGNUH 5K run/walk to turn hunger around. Photo by Chris Detrick

Walkers made up the next waves as more than 1,000 people covered the course around the Colorado State University campus. Photo by Keith Hollenberg

Stations along the way let walkers and runners know why they had gotten sponsors and raised money for the Global Food Crisis Fund. Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford

The more than 1,000 participants created a line around the campus. Photo by Chris Detrick

Daniel, a cross country and track runner in his high school in Indiana, was the first runner to cross the finish line. Photo by Keith Hollenberg

The first finisher (Daniel, at right) poses with friends from his youth group who also ran the course (from left): Samuel, Shane, and Korey. The church youth group has raised several hundred dollars for REGNUH, and the congregation continued the effort with a special offering in Sunday morning worship today. Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford

‘REGNUH’ WALK/RUN RAISES FUNDS FOR HUNGER RELIEF
Remember that people are walking every day just for their food needs,” said David Radcliff, who welcomed the crowd of more than a thousand who gathered for the REGNUH 5K walk/run to “turn hunger around.”

The event benefitted the Global Food Crisis Fund, a ministry of the General Board offering grants for hunger relief efforts around the world. The reminder of why they were there helped energize runners and walkers to take on a five-kilometer course on a hot and sunny afternoon.

The amount raised for the Global Food Crisis Fund will not be announced until organizers add to the total the amount of the Tuesday evening offering for hunger relief.

Daniel, who runs cross country and track in his high school in Indiana, was the first runner to cross the finish line with a time of 19 minutes, 28 seconds according to the timekeeper. Dustin, an NYCer from Maryland, came in second.

Daniel’s whole youth group of nine, including advisors, either ran or walked REGNUH. They had encouraged him to run the course. “They all wanted me to run to win it!” he said. His church helped the youth group raised several hundred dollars for the Global Food Crisis Fund, and was still collecting a special offering in worship today.

One of the top REGNUH fundraisers is Dianne Hollinger, a youth advisor from York (Pa.) First Church of the Brethren, who raised $4,422. She originally challenged her congregation to help her raise $2,000, saying she would run 10 percent of the course for every 10 percent of the money raised. The congregation raised more than twice that amount, and so she ran the whole five kilometers. When Hollinger collapsed at the finish line, friends from her congregation were there to help her back up on her feet.

Danae from Michigan was one of those who ran the course. She said she found the signs along the path very important. “There are so many people in the world who still need food. I learned you can’t do enough.” Her finishing time was 28:49.

Zach from Pennsylvania finished in 22:25. It was hard for him to read the signs along the path when he was so tired, but he said they reminded him of hard it is for hungry people to concentrate.

Heather from Ohio walked the course. She said it was the experience that mattered--especially at one of the learning stations along the route when she carried buckets with 20 pounds of water to simulate what women in many countries do every day. “I can’t imagine how they do it all the time.”

For a story about the “REGNUH Losers Hair Dye” that put the NYC coordinators in the hot seat, go to the Photo Spread page for today.

(Frank Ramirez contributed to this report)

RECEPTION HONORS SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS AND INTERNATIONAL GUESTS
It looked and sounded just like a typical Brethren gathering that included dessert. The sounds of friendly conversation masked the fact that people were sitting at tables with folks they already knew.

But not for long. Thanks to the leadership of Cindy Laprade, one of the NYC coordinators, and Stan Noffsinger, general secretary of the Church of the Brethren General Board, it wasn’t long before the group, which stretched all ethnic and geographic boundaries, was shaken, mixed, and poured out into a real gathering of the Spirit.

“Many of you have been gracious hosts in my visits to you in your homes and your countries,” Noffsinger said. “I want you to be just as good a host to each other and to extend hospitality in the name of Jesus.”

Noffsinger organized the gathering of more than a hundred people into groups of four that did not previously know each other. As the groups answered questions such as, “How far did you travel to get here?” and “What do you hope to get out of this week?” along with such posers as “What is greatest fear and joy?” and “Who is your hero?” it wasn’t long before the groups widened until they included many people who discovered how much they had in common.

A Korean church from the Philadelphia area and members of Everett (Pa.) Church of the Brethren were surprised when they discovered their journeys had taken the exact same time--103 hours, although they had traveled much different routes!

“When we build relationships across our differences,” Laprade noted, “we begin to build peace, which is a gift from Jesus!”

–Frank Ramirez is pastor of Everett (Pa.) Church of the Brethren