FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Purdue Coaches Team Up to Fight Hunger — Hunger Hike 2016
West Lafayette, IN – Three prominent Purdue coaches have teamed up to fight hunger by participating and promoting Hunger Hike 2016. Coaches Sharon Versyp (women’s basketball), Dave Shondell (women’s volleyball) & Dave Kucik (rowing & crew) will be speaking out about the issues of hunger in Indiana and encouraging participation in one of the longest running, most well respected fundraising events — Hunger Hike.
Join us for this event; details are as follows:
- Date: Wednesday, August 24
- Time: 2:00 p.m.
- Place: Riehle Plaza, N 2nd Street, Lafayette
The Hunger Hike updates which will be announced are as follows:
- HONORARY CO-CHAIRS: 2016 Co-chairs will offer remarks and be available for questions and one-on-one interviews
- Sharon Versyp, Purdue Women’s Basketball head coach
- David Kucik, Purdue Rowing & Crew Team head coach
- Dave Shondell, Purdue Volleyball head coach
- Hunger Hike
- Kick-off Event — Sunday, September 18, 2 p.m., Riehle Plaza, N 2nd Street, Lafayette
- Hunger Hike 5K Run – Saturday, September 17, 9 a.m., Celery Bog Nature Area (Cattail Trail Loop), Cumberland Avenue, West Lafayette
- EVENT SPONSORS (to date): Diamond Level — Walmart & Sam’s Club;
Gold Level — Alcoa, Inc., The Kroger Co., Cook Medical, and Bison Financial Group
Representatives from the three sponsoring organizations, Lafayette Urban Ministry, Food Finders Food Bank, Inc. & St. Thomas Aquinas Center, will be available for questions and one-on-one interviews.
For more information on Hunger Hike 2016, please visit our website at www.hungerhike.org.
Contacts:
Joe Micon
Executive Director
Lafayette Urban Ministry
765.423.2691
jmicon@lumserve.org
Katy Bunder
Executive Director
Food Finders Food Bank, Inc.
765.471.0062
kbunder@food-finders.org
Fr. Patrick Baikauskas, OP
Pastor, Director of Campus Ministry
St. Thomas Aquinas Center
765.743.4652
fatherpatrick@boilercatholics.
More information:
- Indiana Hunger Statistics
- 15.5 percent in the state in 2015 said they were unable to afford enough food
- One of every 6 children in Indiana is at risk of hunger
- Proper nutrition is vital to the growth and development of children
- Research indicates that even mild under-nutrition experienced by children during critical periods of growth impacts behavior, school performance, and their overall cognitive development
- Hunger Hike is an annual Fall community fundraising weekend which includes the traditional 3K Walk on Sunday as well as a 5K run on Saturday.
This year Hunger Hike is Saturday, September 17 & Sunday, September 18, 2016. - All Hunger Hike proceeds directly support the Lafayette Urban Ministry food assistance programs including the St. John’s/LUM Food Pantry, Food Finders Food Bank, Inc., and St. Thomas Aquinas Center’s Haitian Ministry including the Haiti Water Purification Project. Since early 1990s Lafayette Urban Ministry, St. Thomas Aquinas Center and Food Finders Food Bank, Inc. have been organizing a walk to support food programs locally, regionally and globally. Formerly known as the Crop Walk, it was officially renamed Hunger Hike in 1993.
- Today, Hunger Hike gives companies, organizations, families & individuals many ways to be a part of a community event with a tremendous positive impact on “Fighting Hunger.”
Pictured L to R: Dave Kucik, Purdue Crew Team & Rowing coach, Purdue Pete, Fr. Patrick Baikauskas, OP, pastor/director of campus ministries, St. Thomas Aquinas; Nadine Morgan, Purdue Women’s Basketball assoc. head coach; Dave Shondell, Purdue Volleyball coach; Judge Faith Graham; Joe Micon, LUM executive director; Peter Bunder, West Lafayette City Council president; Sheila Klinker, Indiana State Representative; Katy Bunder, Food Finders Food Bank executive director; Nancy Nargi, Lafayette City Council member; and Mayor Tony Roswarski, City of Lafayette. Not pictured: Dave Byers, Tippecanoe County Commissioner and Ron Alting, Indiana State Senator.