Celebration Saturday - #ReadWalkWater Update

 I'm so happy that Ruth Ayres started a Celebrate Link-Up on her blog!!!  I will be joining the celebration every Saturday!!

 

If you read my blog, you know David Etkin and I joined forces in the fall to take action in the fight for clean water in the world after reading A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park.  Our first collaborative effort was to write a Nerdy Book Club post.  David focused his efforts on The Ugandan Water Project and accomplished amazing things, which you can read about in this post.  David and his school raised over $12,000!!!!  Unbelievable.  He continues to join in many efforts to raise money for clean water and is even going to Uganda this summer.  My school focused on Water for South Sudan, Salva Dut's organization.  You can read about our Walk for Water day at our classroom blog. We recently met and exceeded our fundraising goal (we raised $5100) and heard that our sponsored well has already been dug!  Here is the e-mail I got from one of the organization's leaders:

Hi Holly,

Here is what I have!  Your well was drilled and I have the following information:

It was drilled in the village of Wuntim, Warrap State, Gogrial East County.  The village chief is Bol Majok Deng and this village has a population of approx. 760 people.  

The GPS coordinates I have are :  N08 05; 830" E028 15' 053"  I can't make the degree sign but it would be read at 8 degrees N, 05 minutes, 830 seconds (etc.)

I do not have photos yet but will send them as soon as I have them!  It might not be until middle of June.

Anything else I can provide?  Congratulations!!!!  Well done!

m.

We announced this to our sixth graders yesterday, and they couldn't be prouder.  We're excited to already have our 2014 Walk for Water on the calendar and will make reading A Long Walk to Water and our fundraising efforts an annual event at Columbia Intermediate School.  Now THAT'S something to celebrate!