Going without to understand

By: Melissa Appel

Posted: 11/6/08

While having clean water is not something many Americans think about each day, more than 1 billion people around the world do not have that luxury.

In an effort to raise awareness for the cause and take action to fix it, students founded the 1000 Wells Project in 2007. The organization has a two-fold mission: to inspire students to think about the world and to raise money for their cause.

"There are over a billion people who don't have clean water," said the co-founder of 1000 Wells, Henry Proegler, a senior finance major. "That's really hard for me to comprehend; that's hard for me to understand. We want to make it more of a reality and help people understand."

Their main fundraiser is "Two Weeks of Sacrifice," an event that will start Monday, and run through Sunday. During the two weeks, students are asked to give up every beverages except water and donate the money saved.

The money raised will be donated to Blood: Water Mission, an organization founded by the band Jars of Clay. Blood: Water works to reduce the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa by providing clean drinking water and building water wells in afflicted areas of the world.

Although the problem is extended and overwhelming, 1000 Wells Project notes that a little effort on the part of students can go a long way in the fight.

"It's such a small donation, but giving $1will give one person - someone who is living and breathing - clean water for a year that wouldn't have it otherwise," Proegler said.

The organization's goal is to get students to concentrate on issues beyond College Station and become inspired to do something to create change by asking students to give up beverages.

"When you go without something, you start to think about something; when you think about something, you start to care about something. And when you start to care about something, you start to act," said 1000 Wells advertising committee member Jeff Pickering, a freshman communication major.

1000 Wells will kick-off "Two Weeks" with a free concert Sunday featuring Derek Webb from Caedmon's Call. The concert will be at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at First Baptist Church in Bryan. The event is free.

"We hope that it's challenging and insightful to understanding our cause," Proegler said.

Members of 1000 Wells will be on campus to educate students about the problem of people living around the world without clean drinking water.

"People are thirsty, and if we're going to say that all people are equal and created in the image of God, then we can't be okay with the fact that not everyone has access to clean water," Pickering said.

Students wishing to commit to "Two Weeks of Sacrifice" can sign up online at 1000 Wells' website. Students can keep track of the drinks they don't buy and how much money they are saving. At the end of the two weeks, students can total the amount saved and drop off their donation at specified locations on campus.

"If people really look outside of where we live, there's a lot of need in the world," Pickering said. "No matter what you believe in-faith-wise or they way we live our lives-we need to go out there and do that."

More online

For information on the organization and how to participate in the "Two Weeks" program at http://www.twoweekstamu.com/