By Geoffrey Wertime, Staff Writer
BORDENTOWN CITY — Advocates for the hungry often remind the public that the issue affects more people than they realize. When speaking about hunger, local resident and volunteer Jim Parker said he might also mention that 200 miles is a lot longer than you might imagine.
Mr. Parker, 57, of the Hilltop area of Bordentown City, is a board member of the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen and a self-described “non-athlete” who will travel that distance over the course of two days as a participant in Friday’s Battle Against Hunger’s 2008 Bike Tour beginning in Gettysburg, Pa.
“The funny thing is, since I started practicing only a couple months ago, I’ve got so much more energy,” he said. “It’s incredible.”
Mr. Parker’s participation began when he represented TASK at a kick-off dinner for the event in June. “People started saying to me, ‘Oh, so you’re going to ride!’” he said. “I’m thinking, ‘Well, no, it’s a long ride.’ I have a mountain bike, but 200 miles for heaven’s sake, that’s an awfully long way!”
He said he survived an initial outing with other participants, and found his riding snowballing from there. Now, after just a couple of months worth of practice, he gets up “at the crack of dawn” to go riding, usually between 20 and 35 miles at a shot.
In addition to the Battle Against Hunger, Mr. Parker said his preparation for the bike tour has benefited his health. He said over the past several months he has biked over 800 miles, lost 20 pounds, and brought his blood pressure down to normal. He even bought himself a new bicycle for the occasion.
Battle Against Hunger grew out of a small bike ride in 2003. The 2007 Bike Tour found 27 participants and raised over $78,000, according to the organization’s Web site.
Mr. Parker’s involvement in volunteering for the hungry also began five years ago. He said his return home after spending time in Africa working with orphans inspired him to spend more time with his son and two daughters, one of whom works for TASK.
“I started to go just to spend some time with her,” he said of his daughter Jaime, 25, also of Bordentown City. “I kind of got drawn into it and one thing went to another.” This resulted in his joining the board at the soup kitchen, which this year expects to serve 180,000 meals.
“Hunger is everywhere,” Mr. Parker said. “It’s surprising. The scary thing is, it’s growing; it’s getting worse.” He said visitors to the soup kitchen are coming from further and further away, even riding into town on the light rail. Families, senior citizens, and veterans are also coming in increasing numbers. He said some visitors to the kitchen even have full-time jobs, but are unable to pay rent and feed their families on their salaries.
Mr. Parker underscored the role small contributors play in funding the institution, saying that individuals and small church groups donate the majority of TASK’s funds.
“It’s a time when our contributions are not at their peak because people in general are having a hard time,” Mr. Parker said. “So it’s a constant battle to raise funds, and thank god for the individual and church groups.”
For more information on the Battle Against Hunger, visit www.battleagainsthunger.org. For information on the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, visit www.trentonsoupkitchen.org.
