The Journey Begins: First of a series of press releases to track Penny's travels.

Journey of the Heart: A cross-country campaign to raise awareness about Church World Service and its mission.

CWS Greater Mid-Atlantic Office
May 25, 2007

Penny Hartman, mother/stepmother of eight, grandmother of another eight, and active member of Evangelical Reformed United Church of Christ, in Frederick, Maryland for the past ten years, has been moved by her experience with CROP to devote her energies and resources toward one of its missions. She will be traveling around the United States for one year, raising awareness of and funds for a Church World Service project called Water for Life/Water for All to address the need for clean water for more than a million people worldwide.

The trip is dubbed The Peachy Drive, named after the van that will be carrying Penny on her journey, and is a completely voluntary project undertaken by Penny.

“I plan to travel in a camper van, hoping to be invited to speak with church groups, school classes, and any interested organizations. I will be staying in state and national parks, church parking lots, and any available hospitable driveways. Since this trip is a volunteer project, the budget will be tight, though Church World Service has provided encouragement, materials, and contacts.”

The route and timetable for the adventure are flexible, but will begin in Maryland on June 3, 2007, make stops in Maine in mid-July, arrive in California in November, and return via a different route to the East Coast in May 2008. Superhighways will not be much of a priority for Penny who views both small and large groups equally.

Her journey will be documented on www.pennyspeachydrive.blogspot.com that will have postings from Penny about her speaking opportunities, water issues and sites and experiences along the way. The interactive site will have a tracking map to see where The Peachy Drive is and where it is headed.

Church World Service, an international humanitarian aid organization provides sustainable self-help and development, disaster relief and refugee assistance in more than 80 countries. CROP Hunger Walks, the Tools & Blanket program and Kits with needed School, Health, Disaster Clean-up and Baby items, are just a few of the ways local congregations and other groups can support the work of CWS.

For more information about CWS, now celebrating its 60^th year, please visit www.churchworldservice.org.