ANCOP Walk raises thousands of dollars for housing and scholarship

ANCOP Walk raises thousands of dollars for housing and scholarship

“Bringing Christ’s Transforming Love to the poor”. “Sponsor A Child.” “Build Homes for the Poor.” “Share Your Blessings”. “Every Step To Fight Poverty.” “I Am Walking for a Cause”. “I’m Blessed for Sharing”. “Walk in Love.”

These are some of the heartwarming and inspiring messages carried by the volunteers and donors during the 4-kilometre ANCOP Walk last Saturday, August 11 at the Assiniboine Park. Members of the Couples for Christ-ANCOP (a faith-based organization) led the praying of the holy rosary as more than a thousand volunteers and donors walked leisurely side by side. A group of marshall volunteers ensured order and safety during the walk for charity. The weather was perfect, with balmy sunny skies.

Before the Walk, attendees warmed with some dancing and Zumba®.

During the program after the Walk, major event sponsor Larry Vickar, CEO and president of the Vickar Autogroup, together with wife Tova and the rest of their family and management, presented ANCOP a $25,000 donation. This will be added to the proceeds from the Walk registration and donations from other sponsors, donors and partners.

This year alone, Larry and Tova, together with their son, Stephen and his wife, went to the Philippines to see all the ANCOP housing projects and to meet the scholarship recipients in Camiguin Island. They also visited Baguio, Baliwag and other ANCOP sites. Some of the projects planned for this year include the granting of at least 500 scholarship grants and the building of the new Tova Vickar CFC ANCOP Winnipeg Village in Baliwag, Bulacan in the Philippines.

Larry Vickar said: “It’s wonderful to have a more than 11-hundred people walking with one spirit, with common hope for a better future for poor and educational scholarship for those who are unable to further their education. Our financial support to help develop and nurture livelihood program hopefully can lead to help sustain themselves economically from now and into a much better future.”

Top fund raising solicitors namely: Terri Silvestre, Grace Picur, Clarita Bagnas, Ruth Pinga Vitug, Letty Tinumpit and Carolina Belen were given recognition for their efforts. There were also prizes given during the raffle draw.

Eli Minglana, CFC ANCOP Winnipeg Area Coordinator, said: “On behalf of the poor families and children whom we are helping, the ANCOP International Canada and our CFC ANCOP Core Team Winnipeg would like to extend our massive thanks to everyone who registered, donated, solicited, volunteered and joined the ANCOP Walk 2018, for your loving and generous support to the needy.”

ANCOP means Answering the Cry of the Poor. It is a program founded by Couples for Christ (CFC), a faith based Vatican recognized international lay organization of the faithful that has a worldwide membership and active in over 100 countries and dependent territories, and was made for the purpose of consolidating CFC’s effort in BUILDING THE CHURCH OF THE POOR. Shelter building for the poor and education sponsorship are among its many other programs.

Photos by Ron Cantiveros | Filipino Journal