40 Wells: Final push for 40wells.org

This is it!

Today marks the 10 day countdown to the big day! June 14, 2010 will be the official close of the 40wells.org. Turning 40 is less painful knowing that over $18k has been raised (so far) to help provide 20 years of clean water to nearly 1,000 people. As you may know I have been working with charity: water for the past year to get clean water to the nearly 1 billion people without it. Thanks to charity: water’s 100% model – every penny raised goes directly to water projects.

UPDATE:

So what has happened in the past year? The 40wells.org project received two well sponsorships thanks to UPS and an anonymous donor (who happens to work for Chick-Fil-A). These first two wells will be located in the Amhara region Ethiopia which has struggled particularly with Trachoma. The wells will serve the Janiken and Abidag communities in the Takusa district. The Janiken well will serve 315 village residents, and the Abidag well will serve 450 village residents. That's 765 people with clean water or an average of 382.5 for each well!! Once the wells are completed, the photos and the GPS coordinates will be posted on 40wells.org.

As of May 31, 2010, a total of 56 individual donors have contributed $5,820 which completes well #3! The well will be selected and funded by charity: water some time in June. All of these were private donors except Bank of America Foundation ($140) and Southern Utility/SUSI Adapters ($500).

Thank you to everyone who made well #3 possible!!!

A good friend, Mike Frintner, who runs the non-profit DOTCOM giving also helped out quite a bit. Mike/DOTCOM provided computers and parts while I supplied the labor to rebuild them for sale. 100% of the proceeds went to charity: water as part of the 40wells.org project. That effort has made over $1,000 so far. Much of DOTCOM money has been applied to well #4, also known as the Rock-For-Water well.

The first ever Rock-For-Water event was held in Atlanta on April 9, 2010. I was able to live out my dream of being a concert promoter while also raising money for charity: water. My good friend Andrew Averso from the band Elevation and fellow charity: water advocate Jonathan Rich of The Goodfight helped coordinate a concert with 2 other local bands including The Less. The show raised $1,220.00 thanks to the fans, all the bands that volunteered to play and the Vinyl which charged only basic overhead fees.

The Rock-For-Water well is over half way to the goal of $5,000 (the cost of a well). Instead of a party or gathering, I am giving up my 40^th birthday for charity: water. I am asking for gifts to charity: water to help celebrate. While 40 wells may not be reached, you can help finish the fourth well. This final well has its own mycharitywater.org page. Donations are instantly calculated and displayed. 100% of all donations go straight to the well – no money will be taken out for administrative fees or overhead.