What Are You Doing This Summer?
Summer is here, and outdoor adventure campaigns for Blood:Water are kicking off! We have several groups and individuals who have participated or are currently participating in outdoor campaigns to raise funds and awareness for Blood:Water. We'd like to highlight a few of these passionate adventure-seekers so that you can know about some of the amazing things going on all over the world to raise funds and advocate for communities in Africa. First off...
Our 2nd annual Ride:Well Bike Tour is kicking off TODAY! The 18 cyclists will begin riding in Los Angeles, CA and, 3172 miles later, will arrive in Baltimore, MD. Along the way, the team will stop at churches and community centers to share Blood:Water's vision and to raise funds for our water and HIV/AIDs initiatives in Africa. The tour will also include several benefit events and/or local rides in select metropolitan areas such as Phoenix, Dallas, Nashville and Baltimore! Visit www.ridewelltour.com for more info. There you can see if the team is coming through your town, follow each member's blog, and even send them messages along the way.
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Current Campaigns:
Daren Wendell founded The Earth Expedition in 2006, approaching it as a solitary effort to "walk the world for water." Now greater in number, the participants of Earth Expedition want to raise awareness and funds for the thousands of Africans who die each day from a lack of clean water. Daren has finished his leg of the trip, walking across the United States in two separate trips - from Georgia to New Brunswick in 2008 and from San Diego back to Georgia in the spring of 2009. Daren's primary teammate, William Bryan Schlackman, is currently preparing for the European leg of the Earth Expedition. Bryan starts this month and will walk from Scotland to Portugal! Track the team online and follow their blogs at www.theearthexpedition.com
Matthew Pouss, a 23 year old from Cleona, PA, will begin hiking the Appalachian Trail this June to raise money for clean water and clean blood initiatives. He plans to finish the trail by the end of 2009.
Andy Thomas, youth pastor at Rossville Church of Christ in Rossville, IL., and 25 high school youth will ride their bikes across Illinois, a distance of 215 miles. The trip is from June 22-26, 2009.
Zach Farber, youth pastor from Farmington, MN., will take nearly 20 junior high students on a 750-mile bike ride from Farmington to Mt. Rushmore and back, all to raise money for Blood:Water!
A Few Past Campaigns:
During June and July of 2008, eight students from Simpson University in Redding, CA. participated in Wheels for Wells, biking from Florence, OR to Nashville, TN.
Not all cycling is outdoors: Scott Bilthouse in London, disappointed that he couldn’t join the US Ride:Well Team last summer, rode 2758 miles, the equivalent distance from LA to DC, on a STATIONARY bike at his gym. Watch a bit of Scott’s experience in his video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85sXEpOi-ZI
16 year-old, Jared Ritter ran 20 miles from Cape Girardeau, MO to Jackson, MO in July 2008 as a part of a campaign in his hometown to raise money for Blood:Water and awareness about the challenge so many Africans face each day in retrieving water that isn’t even safe.
Also in 2008, Greg Young created a “Swimming for Water” campaign in which he swam across the Chesapeake Bay to raise funds and awareness.
Taylor Yoakley and Matthew Mincer hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2007 for Blood:Water, and David Van Buskirk, Joe Knight, and Matt McKinney hiked the trail for us in 2005!
Get Started. Get Active.
Blood:Water Mission seeks to build community through creative social action, so if you’re thinking about starting your own active adventure this year, let us know. Don’t forget, you don’t have to walk around the world, as even everyday things matter. It’s all about creativity in action. We’d love to hear what you’re doing to help communities in Africa. Need ideas? Let us connect you with some great organizations that specialize in these kinds of endeavors. Email grassroots@bloodwatermission.com if you decide to get involved. Also, if you’ve already completed your own event in the past, do tell us about it!
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