November 24, 2014
Christian Rubalcaba, the Kennedy Hall resident director and a business accounting senior at Highlands, participated in the Las Vegas Crop Walk for Hunger fundraiser, carrying his daughter Farrah for the three-mile walk.
Las Vegas, N.M. – Highlands University students helped fight hunger one step at a time at the Las Vegas Crop Walk for Hunger in October, helping the annual event break its all-time fundraising record.
Highlands students accounted for 107 of the 294 walkers this year. Students and staff from the residence halls walked and raised money along with the men and women hoopsters and the women’s track and field team. Freshman Forum students also stepped up to help.
“We were thrilled and it was very uplifting to see so many students from Highlands involved in Crop Walk this year,” said Karyl Lyne, Las Vegas Crop Walk for Hunger chair. “It was because of their presence that the fundraising records were broken. They made a tremendous contribution to fighting hunger locally and worldwide.”
Lyne said the event raised $11,548 this year, $4,000 more than the 2013 total and surpassing the previous record of $11,433 set in 2010.
“These HU students helped raise awareness with their peers and the campus community through collecting donations,” Lyne said.
Christian Rubalcaba is the resident director for Kennedy Hall and recruited resident assistants and students for Crop Walk. The 23-year business accounting senior carried his 3-year-old daughter Farrah on the three-mile walk in the canyon behind the United World College – USA.
“One thing that motivated me to be involved in Crop Walk was thinking about how I would feel if Farrah went two to three days without a meal,” Rubalcaba said. “We have the luxury of being able to eat a meal whenever we want and we often overlook how some people in the world need help with a meal just to keep them alive.”
“We got behind Crop Walk because we wanted to help eradicate hunger locally and globally,” said Yvette Wilkes, Housing Office director. “We especially like the fact that a percentage of the funds raised stay right here in Las Vegas to benefit our community. It was a wonderful partnership with Karyl Lyne, who is so passionate about hunger issues – motivating my students and staff to participate.”
Lyne said local agencies receiving Crop Walk proceeds include the Samaritan House, Las Vegas Community Soup Kitchen, and Comedor de San Pascual Soup Kitchen.
Head men’s basketball coach Craig Snow said volunteerism is an important component of the student athlete educational experience and is a key element of his program.
“Volunteerism helps our athletes understand that there is a much bigger world out there, and that they can use their platform as an athlete to help make a positive and meaningful contribution to the community,” Snow said. “Volunteerism also reinforces the concepts of team and selflessness.”
Snow credited Rose Contreras-Taylor with helping organize the Highlands athletes’ participation in Crop Walk.
Since 1969, the Church World Service has sponsored annual Crop Walks aimed at ending hunger in the United States and abroad. Each Crop Walk for Hunger is a community-based event with local organizers.
CROP Hunger Walks are community-wide events sponsored by Church World Service and organized by religious groups, businesses, schools and others to raise funds to end hunger in t CROP Hunger Walks are community-wide events sponsored by Church World Service and organized by religious groups, businesses, schools and others to raise funds to end hunger in the U.S. and around the world.