Very wet PHLUSHers at Walk for Water 2011.
Despite the driving rain and the southwind whistling down the Willamette, about 15 PHLUSHers and friends had a great time doing the Walk for Water yesterday. The annual event organized by Portland Roasting Company to celebrates World Water Day, brings awareness to the pressing need for clean water and adequate sanitation worldwide and raises funds for Portland Global Initiatives water projects in East Africa.
The afternoon began with the sounds of Boka Marimba under the vast roof of the World Trade Center courtyard and the chance to visit the tables of non-profits working on water issues. After a brief welcome from Mark Stell, teams picked up their 5 gallon buckets and embarked on a waterfront walk of 3.1 miles, the average distance most African girls carry water everyday. Walk for Water organizers had set up stations along the route where walkers took breaks, answered questions about water, health and the environment, and got stamps on their “passports”.
Abby Brown took the lead in organizing the PHLUSH contingent, setting up our table, hanging around our necks large colorful signs with key messages, tweeting our progress along the course and taking clips for a video she’ll edit and post on YouTube. Watch this space for updates.
[…] make emergency toilets for use following a severe earthquake that destroys water and sewer pipes. A dozen or so PHLUSH folks had so much fun at last year’s event, that we are eager to do it again and see friends from Engineers Without Borders and other […]