This is the fifth year the church has participated in the Christian Rural Out-reach Program walka-thon, an effort to raise funds and awareness.

While the exact amount raised was not known on Sunday, organizers estimated the total would be about $1,900.

Twenty-five percent of the money raised will be distributed locally and 75 percent of the funds will be distributed nationally or overseas.

“It just depends where they feel there’s a need,” said Billy Gray, 72.

He’s one of 30 who participated in the event, with walkers ranging from young to old.

The organization’s slogan is, “We walk because they walk.”

“There are people who have to walk hours a day overseas just to get water and here in this town there are people here who don’t have transportation,” Gray said.

The two-mile walk began at 2 p.m. from the starting point outside of the church, which is located on Hickory Street in Temple.

Fifty-year-old Tammye Baecker walks because, “I feel like it’s just a little I can do to help others and I enjoy getting out and exercising and then having that benefit and help other people.”

In the past Pat Dalrymple, 76, donated for others to walk, but this year she decided to make the trek.

“The response was so good when I asked people last week at church to sponsor me that I’m going to turn in almost $300 today. I thought if they’re going to sponsor me I better walk,” she said.

Dalrymple didn’t mind being at the back of the group. “Remember who won the race in the end, was it the hare or the turtle? Just call me a turtle, I guess,” she said.