Friday, September 11, 2009

H2O UPDATE

I was excited to finally get word yesterday from charity:water's Director of Development, Carrie Sanders, about my $10,000 Trazzler campaign! She expressed enthusiasm and gratitude for our efforts to secure the win! She also clarified that, while she realizes I'd like to give back specifically to Cambodia, mycharity: water fundraisers are not able to designate the location of the water projects they are helping to fund.

So, although I would be so gratified to help the people who inspired me to write my entry in Siam Reap, I would be equally as proud to provide wells for those suffering from polluted water in any of the dozens of nations in need. Fresh water is fresh water, and nobody knows that better than the team at charity:water, who guarantee that 100% of your donations will go directly to a water project.

I'll know on or around September 21st whether I'm the Trazzler #NYCGO contest winner, and halfway to my $10k goal. The rest of the year I will be working on creative ways to raise the other $5k through mycharity:water campaign.

Stay tuned, cross fingers, and keep voting...we've still got 3 days before Trazzler polls close!

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Trazzler + my charity:water = $10,000 4 H20


Scott Harrison and his team at charity:water do amazing things every day. And now we can easily join the cause with my charity:water. Here's my goal:

$5K OF TRAZZLER CONTEST PRIZE MONEY + $5K OF YOUR DONATIONS AT my charity water = $10,000 = two of the first wells to be built by charity:water in Cambodia.

Visit my campaign page at mycharitywater.org/TRAZZLER to DONATE, TRACK PROGRESS, AND LEARN MORE.
VOTE VOTE VOTE! Click "Add to Wishlist" and follow steps. The first $5k is MUI IMPORTANTE!

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

VOTE NOW: Water 4 Cambodia

Awaiting final confirmation from my friends at charity:water on exact details of my donation, but let's keep geting the word out there. We've got VOTES to make and money to raise!!

Get Voting!
VOTE for my travel entry in the Trazzler NYCGO writing contest: http://bit.ly/e62r7. It's about the beautiful spirit but murky water in Cambodia. Just click "Add to Wishlist" to vote and follow short instructions.

With Charity:Water it only takes $5k to build a freshwater well in a village and provide 250+ people with clean drinking water.If I win the Grand Prize, I can build a well!

Why Cambodia?
I toyed with dozens of ideas for the Trazzler #NYCGO writing contest but was struck time and again by this photo that I snapped of Than Bon, my tuk-tuk driver from Siam Reap. We became fast friends. He was reliable, funny, and incredibly proud of his tuk-tuk, one of the most well-maintained and polished in all of Siam Reap. On the August day that I took this photo in 2007, the heat was too much for Than. He left his belt and khakis on and dove into the muddy water. It was his ultimate oasis.
Than Bon is part of a community where 63% of the population don't have access to safe drinking water.

I was intrigued when Than suggested that we get out of the city centre and visit some floating villages on the Mekong River. We rode on the back of Than's friends' mopeds, fulling trusting that we'd arrive safely at our destination; and we did. Immediately I was bombarded by children; the most beautiful children. Some wanted money, some wanted me to buy their bananas, all wanted attention. One young Mom passed her child into my arms. I hugged her and held her for an unusually long time. I had to be beckoned to move on and give the child back, as our boat was about to depart.

It was a bustling water world floating atop the Mekong River. More children and teenagers were tending to much of the daily tasks: begging for money, chopping fish heads, operating boats that were bigger than them. Everything was floating: schools, markets, homes, churches. A community whose livelihood depended on one element: water.

The people of Cambodia are special. They embrace travelers with genuine care, curiosity and generosity. They left a lasting impression on me. They deserve to drink fresh water.
Learn More:
About Charity Water
About how people are already helping. Watch this documentary.
About Trazzler