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Pastor walks from Poulsbo to Bainbridge to fight hunger

Pictured out front, Pastor Paul takes a selfie at the beginning of his walk in Poulsbo on Sept. 6. Pictured below, Helpline House, the pastor's destination.

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND – The Rev. Paul Stumme-Diers of Bethany Lutheran Church of Bainbridge Island walked from North Kitsap Fishline in Poulsbo to Helpline House on Bainbridge Island on Sunday, Sept. 6, to raise awareness about hunger.

The 60-year-old pastor’s trek covered 16 miles and took 6 1/2 hours, including stops at Martha and Mary and churches along the way.

His walk is in connection with the annual CROP Walk, being held virtually in many local communities during the entire month of September.

Maria Metzler, executive director of Helpline House, told Bethany Lutheran Church that the most-needed items include pop-top cans of soup and fruit, along with boxes of individually wrapped items such as granola bars, fruit crisps and goldfish crackers. Items can be taken to Helpline House at 282 Knechtel Way NE on Bainbridge Island, or to North Kitsap Fishline at 19689 7^th Ave. NE, Poulsbo.

More about CROP Walk is at crophungerwalk.org.

Stay connected with Martha & Mary residents

- Provide supplies for activities. Examples are colored pencils and adult coloring books.

- Drop off bingo prizes such as lotions, stuffed animals, or store-bought packages of chees and crackers, cookies or popcorn.

- Bring birdseed (just seeds with no hulls, and clear hummingbird nectar for residents’ outside spaces.

- Buy newspaper subscriptions. This can be expensive, many residents enjoy the daily paper.

If you would like to arrange something for Bethany to do, contact the office. For more information from Martha & Mary, contact Tracie at 360-779-4019. Please mark the items for “Activities” and bring to the front door of Martha and Mary, 19160 Front St., Poulsbo. Thank you.