Staff Report
A walk and run to benefit Santa Barbara County’s “working poor” population will be held Saturday, Sept. 22, at River View Park in Buellton.
The nonprofit Society of St. Vincent de Paul is sponsoring the Friends of the Poor Walk/Run, which is being held in Santa Barbara County for the third time.
People of all ages are welcome. Registration opens at 8:30 a.m. and the walk and run will begin at 9 a.m. Participants will encouraged to walk or run laps around the scenic park until the conclusion at noon. There will be refreshments, games for children and free information about Saint Vincent de Paul (SVdP) services available throughout the morning.
One beneficiary of the proceeds is a local SVdP low-interest loan program that is “designed to end poverty through systemic change. We want to assist victims of predatory loans through financial education and low-interest loan conversions,” said Marilyn Coyle, president of SVdP’s Santa Barbara District, which includes Solvang and Lompoc.
“Year-round, our SVdP volunteers in Santa Barbara County provide housing and utility assistance, auto repairs, medical and dental assistance, food, furniture, clothing, and other needs,” she added.
To learn more about the Friends of the Poor Walk/Run, participating or making a pledge, go to www.fopwalk.org or to the Santa Barbara District event site: www.fopwalk.org/eventlisting/eventdetail/?eventid=2105.
River View Park is at 151 Sycamore Drive in Buellton.
