Saturday
Sep012012
You and I Are Going to Change (a minimum of) 40 People's Lives Forever
Saturday, September 1, 2012
I am turning 40 on the 29th of December, and the older I get the more I realize how very blessed my life is and has been. Because of this, I want this milestone to have meaning that extends beyond me. I want to give back to the world in some way.
My goal? I want us to help 40 people gain ongoing access to clean water through Charity: Water by my birthday. All we have to do is raise $2,650 over the next 4 months. We can do that, right?
I have so many things behind me to ensure my relative health and success. I grew up with access to health care, a family that loved me, an abundance of food, free education, and a house to keep me warm, but something even greater than all of that, something that we usually overlook because so many of us have so much of it, is clean water.
I grew up with clean water. I could drink it, wash my food in it, bathe in it, and play in it without wondering where it came from or worrying about how much I used. I had no idea that it was the basic key to a good life.
So much of the world is without access to clean water, let alone enough water, and it means miles and miles of physical travel and work every day just to have enough to stay alive through the next day if it doesn't make a person too sick before they can go back for more. Without access, children are turned away from schools without clean clothes, potentially good food is contaminated by a dirty water source, and parasites and other diseases take too many children before they're five years old.
I got to grow up to look forward to my 40th birthday in a place where water is as easy as a turned tap anywhere I go. I want others to be able to have at least the ability to drink without being poisoned by the only source that can sustain them. I want more people to have 40th birthdays like mine where they can find themselves still healthy and young and looking forward to a future where the water we give our children won't be responsible for their deaths.
So help me help 40 people gain access to clean drinking water for my 40th birthday. What we think of as a little water can change a lot of lives, and this is all I want this year. Pass it on.
PS. I learned about Charity: Water at the World Domination Summit in Portland this summer, and I knew immediately that I wanted to do something with this organization. The administrative costs of Charity: Water are covered by private donors so that 100% of your donations directly fund water project costs in the field. Take a moment to find out how this fantastic charity works, check out all their completed projects so far on Google Maps, and watch videos and read stories from in the field.
My goal? I want us to help 40 people gain ongoing access to clean water through Charity: Water by my birthday. All we have to do is raise $2,650 over the next 4 months. We can do that, right?
I have so many things behind me to ensure my relative health and success. I grew up with access to health care, a family that loved me, an abundance of food, free education, and a house to keep me warm, but something even greater than all of that, something that we usually overlook because so many of us have so much of it, is clean water.
I grew up with clean water. I could drink it, wash my food in it, bathe in it, and play in it without wondering where it came from or worrying about how much I used. I had no idea that it was the basic key to a good life.
So much of the world is without access to clean water, let alone enough water, and it means miles and miles of physical travel and work every day just to have enough to stay alive through the next day if it doesn't make a person too sick before they can go back for more. Without access, children are turned away from schools without clean clothes, potentially good food is contaminated by a dirty water source, and parasites and other diseases take too many children before they're five years old.
I got to grow up to look forward to my 40th birthday in a place where water is as easy as a turned tap anywhere I go. I want others to be able to have at least the ability to drink without being poisoned by the only source that can sustain them. I want more people to have 40th birthdays like mine where they can find themselves still healthy and young and looking forward to a future where the water we give our children won't be responsible for their deaths.
So help me help 40 people gain access to clean drinking water for my 40th birthday. What we think of as a little water can change a lot of lives, and this is all I want this year. Pass it on.
PS. I learned about Charity: Water at the World Domination Summit in Portland this summer, and I knew immediately that I wanted to do something with this organization. The administrative costs of Charity: Water are covered by private donors so that 100% of your donations directly fund water project costs in the field. Take a moment to find out how this fantastic charity works, check out all their completed projects so far on Google Maps, and watch videos and read stories from in the field.
categorized in general and tagged in Charity Water, Charity: Water, WDS, WDS 2012, WDS2012, World Domination Summit, birthday, charity, gratitude, water
general and tagged in Charity Water, Charity: Water, WDS, WDS 2012, WDS2012, World Domination Summit, birthday, charity, gratitude, water 
Reader Comments (6)
This is very cool. Soon your project will be on this map!!
http://www.charitywater.org/projects/map/
The map makes me think about how much crushing need there is but also how we can all be connected.
Oh, sure. We can do this in honor of the beautiful you.
Done!!!
yes. yes. xo
Absolutely. So important to not take all we've been given for granted.
done. of course.