Considering that 16 years ago Brenda Davis of Old Town was in such a serious car accident it appeared she might never walk again, what she is beginning today is nothing short of miraculous.

Maine Credit Union’s Campaign for Ending Hunger and Cross Roads Ministries are sponsoring the First Annual Maine Credit Unions’ Ending Hunger Walking Tour.

Davis, founder and executive director of Cross Roads Ministries, plans to walk throughout Maine, visiting communities from Madawaska to Sanford, to “help raise money for our own food pantry, but also to bring awareness of hunger to every town,” she said.

“We’ve allotted 20 days to do it, throughout the whole month,” Davis said of a schedule that has her walking 10 to 20 miles a day, with scheduled stops in approximately 42 communities.

“If there’s a blizzard, I’m not going to put myself at risk,” Davis said.

The walk kicks off at 3 p.m. today at the Penobscot County Federal Credit Union, 260 North Main St. in Old Town.

With November designated as Ending Hunger Month, the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger will present Davis a check for $500 as she begins her walk, and will contribute more than $2,500 to the Ending Hunger Walking Tour.

During the walk, Davis will visit food pantries, hunger organizations and local Federal Credit Union offices, where she will pick up contributions to the Campaign for Ending Hunger.

She is encouraging representatives of food pantries and organizations such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts “to join with me in walks through their communities,” and will speak to any group or organization about hunger in Maine.

“We’ve arranged the schedule so that I’m available to talk to people along the way,” Davis said, “and I invite anybody who wants to, to come and support me.”

Davis has been “getting in shape for a couple of months” in preparation for the walk, and feels confident in her physical ability to complete it.

She will have a support vehicle and, she emphasized, she won’t be walking the entire state, just parts of it.

People who are interested in her effort can check with their local federal credit unions for her schedule; visit the Web site www.crosssroadministry.org; or e-mail ministry@midmaine.com.

Cross Roads Ministries extends “a helping hand to those in need, and we do that using Christian principles,” Davis explained.

Her walk to raise awareness about hunger in Maine is expected to cover more than 300 miles, and will end at the PCFCU in Old Town on Tuesday, Nov. 26.

Since 1990, the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger has raised more than $1.1 million to help end hunger in Maine.

I was happy to hear from Dawn Edgecomb of Mariaville that the fifth annual Acadia Area ATVers’ Charity Ride to benefit KISS 94.5 radio’s Christmas is for Kids Campaign in September was such a success.

“It was wonderful,” she said. “We had a lot of rain, but we still had a lot of dedicated riders.

“We raised about $5,200” and, when we spoke last month, money was still coming in.

“I feel privileged to have participated,” Edgecomb said. “We had 128 machines with 178 people riding. It was so wet, we served food under a leaking tarp and people were eating soggy food, but no one complained.”

Folks attending church services in Washington County this weekend might find a special offering being taken to benefit Down East Hospice, which is based in Calais.

Barbara Smith of DEH reports the organization has requested the offering Sunday, Nov. 3, in recognition of November as National Hospice Month.

Throughout November, Shop ‘n Save stores in Calais and Machias will highlight DEH in kiosk displays, where donations will be accepted and hospice information will be available.

Other National Hospice Month activities include a lasagna dinner at 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, at the First Congregational Church in Calais.

Hosted by hospice volunteers, the menu will include salad, garlic bread and homemade pies. Tickets are $7 for adults, $3 for children or a maximum of $15 for families.

Finally, a Family Concert from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 17, at the Centre Street Congregational Church in Machias features The Joyful Trio and the Washington County Children’s Chorus.

Donations to benefit DEH will be graciously accepted.

Since its inception in 1981, with the help of approximately 90 dedicated volunteers, DEH has provided free, nonmedical care and support for hundreds of individuals and families throughout Washington County who are facing a terminal illness.

For more information about DEH, its programs, volunteering or making a donation, call 454-7521, Ext. 126, or 255-3356, Ext. 324.

Joni Averill, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402; 990-8288.