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Seventy runners and walkers of all ages laced up their shoes this weekend to help the Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation raise money to help feed children in the First State.
More than $16,000 was brought in from the 7th annual 5K Milk Run/Walk facilitated by TriSports Events Saturday morning, Nov. 21, according to DEFB Foundation Coordinator Kali Voshell. Proceeds will benefit the Ministry of Caring’s Milk for Children Fund and the Food Bank of Delaware’s Backpack program.
“Those organizations are ones we built relationships with and they really look forward to getting that money because they really do put it to good use and we like seeing it be put to good use. It was really important for us to be able to have the event,” Voshell said.
Over the past seven years, more than $111,000 has been raised for various local organizations, including proceeds from the event from this past weekend.
“The Food Bank of Delaware is proud to partner with the Delaware Farm Bureau on the Milk Run again this year. It is vitally important to have community partners that are supportive of the mission of ‘ensuring a community free of hunger,’” Chad Robinson of the Food Bank of Delaware said prior to the event. “We appreciate the constant commitment of the Farm Bureau in ensuring access to healthy, fresh produce for those in need, as well as all the dairy farmers who make the Milk Run successful and support our efforts.”
As participants gathered at Buffalo Wild Wings in Dover Saturday, event sponsor and Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation Board of Directors member Jackie King of King Crop Insurance encouraged them to travel along the St. Jones Isaac Branch Trail safely with social distancing in mind. Due to the pandemic, the annual event didn’t come with the same fanfare with ice cream and a larger celebration this year. Participants, however, still enjoyed healthy snacks and a quick awards ceremony with cowbell awards in recognition of their achievements.
“It is nice to help out and raise money with the organization,” said Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation Board of Directors member Chuck Hoober, owner of Hoober, Inc. which sells CASE IH and Kubota equipment among other farm supplies from nine different locations.
“All the money from this event goes back into the community which is nice. Some of the sponsors I helped get are good customers and friends of mine. So, it’s nice to see the ag community step up and give some money back,” he added. “Ag is very important for feeding the world, of course. And it’s a big part of the state of Delaware; it’s one of the top industries in the state. We have very good farmers in Delaware and here on the Eastern Shore. It’s nice to be able to give back a little bit.”
