Nearly 20 people walked through the streets of Palmerton on Sunday on a trek that provided great exercise on a beautiful fall day.

The journey, however, symbolized something far less upbeat.“We go out today and think about those who have to walk so far just for some water,” said Mike Frost, pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Palmerton. “Their needs are far greater than we could ever imagine.”The annual Palmerton CROP Hunger Walk departed from St. John’s Lutheran Church on Fireline Road just after 1:30 p.m. and wound its way through the borough.Participants stopped at St. John’s United Church of Christ on Columbia Avenue for a break before heading for their final destination, First United Church of Christ on Delaware Avenue.CROP stands Christian Rural Overseas Program, which began in 1947 with a mission of helping Midwest farm families to share their grain with hungry neighbors in post-World War II Europe and Asia.Hunger walks began unofficially on a nationwide basis in 1969.Palmerton’s event has been around just shy of 40 years.“The walk is sponsored by Church World Service,” said Palmerton’s walk director William Hayes. “Seventy-five percent of the money we raise goes to them and they provide food for emergency situations. The other 25 percent goes to Christian Action Council of Palmerton Area Churches.”Walkers get people to sponsor them and that is how money for the event is generated.Unlike some other walks, sponsors don’t pay by the mile and instead they contribute a flat fee.“There is no set amount,” Hayes said. “They can contribute anything they want to contribute. Our participation comes and goes. At one time, there were 50-60 people doing this walk. We don’t know yet how much we were able to raise this year.”Forms for the Palmerton walk were circulated throughout CACPAC churches, but anyone was able to participate.“You really can’t beat a nice walk around Palmerton,” Hayes said. “It’s a beautiful day and the fall foliage is really evident right now in the trees.”Lehighton also had its CROP walk on Sunday through Lehigh Canal Park in Weissport.The two local events were part of 1,300 walks around the country, which raise over $12 million.According to a Feeding America fact sheet, 48.1 million Americans lived in food insecure households in 2014, including 32.8 million adults and 15.3 million children.Food insecurity is defined as the lack of access, at times, to enough food for all household members.