Walk for Water Event February 21 to Promote Three-Year $750,000 Rotary project in Guatemala

BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. - Jan. 22, 2015 - PRLog -- One of Rotary International Foundation’s six areas of focus is to provide clean water. Three local Southwest Florida Rotary Clubs (RC of Estero, Bonita Springs Noon and Bonita Springs) have joined together in organizing a three-year, $750,000 Clean Water and Sanitation project in Santa Eulalia, Guatemala.  Sandra Hemstead, President of the Rotary Club of Bonita Springs coordinated the grants, which are partially funded by the three local Rotary clubs, Rotary District 6960 and The Rotary Foundation.

Rotarian Sally Smith who is spear heading the project for the Estero Club, and who has visited Guatemala for other Rotary projects said, “It is a mountainous region of the indigenous Mayan Indian peoples.”  She further explained that “the project will bring filtered, chlorinated water to their hospital, to common areas and finally to every home.”

Darrell Brown from the Rotary Club of Bonita Springs Noon said, “Every home will also receive an eco friendly latrine; and people will receive three years of hygiene training and will learn about water conservation.”

In order to bring awareness to the project, there will be Walk for Water event on Saturday, February 21 from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. at the YMCA of Bonita Springs, 27200 Kent Road.  Rick Perry, Assistant Governor of Rotary District 6960, is organizing the marketing for the event.  “We invite all people in Bonita Springs, Estero and Naples to join us for Walk for Water, and help make a difference in the lives of people around the world, who walk miles for clean water every day. This is a fun, family-oriented awareness event we know that the people of Southwest Florida will enjoy.  There will even be a Guatemalan Marimba band to entertain us,” says Perry.

Sally Smith further explained how the Rotary clubs made a connection with the local authorities in Guatemala, “Our Rotary clubs are working together with water engineers of Water Missions International (watermissions.org) who help coordinate with locals all over the world in need of clean water.

“Walk for Water will give participants an experience of the daily journey Guatemalans take for water,” said Bonita Springs YMCA Branch Director, Maribel Slabaugh.  “Walkers will be handed empty buckets upon arrival and will walk from Kent Road to the Nature Walk path and on to the Imperial River kayak landing where they will fill their buckets with water and walk back to the YMCA to dump their water in the retention pond. This is the distance that parents and children walk every day for fresh water in this region of Guatemala,” added Slabaugh.

Efrain Pedro, a member of the Estero Guatemalan community said, “I would like to express my gratitude to all the Rotarians and people in Southwest Florida who are participating in this event.”  “I know what it’s like to get water for my family when I was growing up, it was nothing easy and quite dangerous, continued Pedro.  Pedro summed it up by saying, “This will be life-changing for the people in Santa Eulalia.”

The cost to participate in Walk for Water is $20 per family or $10 for individuals. Purified bottled water will be available to all participants at the end of their journey.  The Rotary Clubs of Estero, Bonita Springs and Bonita Springs Noon are encouraging local residents and visitors to participate and support this outreach project for clean water.   Plans to participate can be emailed to salpalsss@hotmail.com.

Image:  Walk for Water in Guatemala.  Local Rotary Clubs are working on a project to bring clean water to rural villages in Guatemala.  The Walk for Water fundraiser will take place on Saturday, February 21, 9:00-11:00 at the YMCA in Bonita Springs.  Please email your plans to participate to: salpalsss@hotmail.com