International Club donates $1200 to Mercy health inc.
by gabby petruzzello
On May 19th, International Club students and other attendees walked fifteen laps in order to simulate the struggles of individuals in developing countries who have to walk an average of 3.75 miles to get water. As the world’s biggest “Dirty Little Secret,” lack of access to water affects 1 in 8 people. This event was created to raise money for the construction of a well for a village in Haiti that will be located right outside an orphanage for girls who were victims of human trafficking.
“We wanted to build awareness for the lack of clean water in the developing world, and we also really like being able to raise money and donate to an international organization that is based here in Janesville. We know that every penny we donate is going to help the people for which it is intended,” said Mr. Elsen, explaining the goal of the walk.
Twenty-six students and seven adults walked around the Craig track carrying buckets of water. Students and attendees were challenged to carry a gallon of water. Many people in developing countries carry a container that weighs 70 pounds, which is equivalent to the weight of a baby hippo.
Many students alternated every lap between carrying the bucket and dropping it off; the challenge of carrying a gallon of water proved a difficult feat for most students over the course of the walk.
Students began walking at 10 AM and continued walking until they completed fifteen laps. The International Club organized the 2nd Annual Water Walk and advertised the event through posters and announcements in order to bring awareness to the issue as well as interest students in the event.
In exchange for service hours, students carried around buckets of dirty water from April 23rd to May 4th. As a way to bring awareness to the subject, students also aimed to fundraise. The initial goal of the International Club’s Water Walk was to fundraise $1,000 to donate money to Mercy House Inc. to pay for the construction of a well in Haiti. The club raised $1200.
Club members earned one hour of community service for participating in the walk, one hour for every $25 dollars fundraised, and two service hours for carrying a jug of dirty water to school for a minimum of five days, while also collecting donations from Craig students.
As an issue that affects 783 million people across the world, water borne illness from dirty water affects more than twice the population of United States and kills more people than AIDS, malaria, and all world violence combined.
“By walking 3.75 miles while carrying water, students are able to gain an appreciation for how difficult it can be to have safe drinking water in some parts of the developing world. We only need to turn a knob to get something that can take hours to get somewhere else; and the water we drink is both clean and free of any water borne disease,” explained the club’s advisor, Mr. Elsen.
“We wanted to build awareness for the lack of clean water in the developing world, and we also really like being able to raise money and donate to an international organization that is based here in Janesville. We know that every penny we donate is going to help the people for which it is intended,” said Mr. Elsen, explaining the goal of the walk.
Twenty-six students and seven adults walked around the Craig track carrying buckets of water. Students and attendees were challenged to carry a gallon of water. Many people in developing countries carry a container that weighs 70 pounds, which is equivalent to the weight of a baby hippo.
Many students alternated every lap between carrying the bucket and dropping it off; the challenge of carrying a gallon of water proved a difficult feat for most students over the course of the walk.
Students began walking at 10 AM and continued walking until they completed fifteen laps. The International Club organized the 2nd Annual Water Walk and advertised the event through posters and announcements in order to bring awareness to the issue as well as interest students in the event.
In exchange for service hours, students carried around buckets of dirty water from April 23rd to May 4th. As a way to bring awareness to the subject, students also aimed to fundraise. The initial goal of the International Club’s Water Walk was to fundraise $1,000 to donate money to Mercy House Inc. to pay for the construction of a well in Haiti. The club raised $1200.
Club members earned one hour of community service for participating in the walk, one hour for every $25 dollars fundraised, and two service hours for carrying a jug of dirty water to school for a minimum of five days, while also collecting donations from Craig students.
As an issue that affects 783 million people across the world, water borne illness from dirty water affects more than twice the population of United States and kills more people than AIDS, malaria, and all world violence combined.
“By walking 3.75 miles while carrying water, students are able to gain an appreciation for how difficult it can be to have safe drinking water in some parts of the developing world. We only need to turn a knob to get something that can take hours to get somewhere else; and the water we drink is both clean and free of any water borne disease,” explained the club’s advisor, Mr. Elsen.