A man who spent nearly two decades fighting hunger in the Quad Cities will be remembered this weekend. A memorial service is set for Saturday for Tom Kalshoven who died in December at the age of 85.
He served as executive director of Churches United from 1973 until his retirement in 1991.
The current executive director, Anne Wachal, says Kalshoven helped start meal sites, food pantries, and the food pantry network in the Quad Cities. And he also brought the annual CROP Walk here, sponsored nationwide by Church World Service.
"A way to educate and raise money for hunger organizations. Twenty five per cent remains in the local community and 75 per cent goes on to help, for instance, Church World Service establish self-sustaining water for third world countries."
And the CROP Walk continues in the Quad Cities more than 40 years later.
She says he also championed human rights and social justice - and was once referred to as "the conscience of the Quad Cities."
The memorial service for Tom Kalshoven will be held Saturday at 11 am at First Presbyterian Church in Davenport (1702 Iowa Street). Visitation is set for 4 to 7 pm Friday at Cunnick-Collins Mortuary in Davenport (1200 East 39th St.).
