The Road To Change

Site Photos

2009-12-09T07:29:00.000-08:00

I received some site photos from Kalimani. Peter Chasse took the photo above in May of 2008 of the pastor in Kalimani. It was his hope at that time that there could be a well at the spot where he is shown standing. He had no idea if there was water below or not. Thanks to everyone's support, over a year and a half later, a well has been drilled here and soon will be providing clean water to the people of Kalimani. God is good!

Fantastic Thanksgiving news!

2009-11-25T07:24:00.000-08:00

I received notification this morning that the drilling of the borehole for the water well in Kalimani is complete! Based on testing that was done, the well will be able to give 5,000 liters of water per hour.

Construction of the water kiosk, installation of the water pump and piping work is in progress. I will post pictures as I receive them.

Timing on this could not be better. I am very thankful for your support and know that there are 4,000 people that are thankful as well for your help in making their life much better.

Race Completed

2009-10-17T08:02:00.000-07:00

What started as a practical joke on me, ended up with 100-miles of life changing satisfaction. Not only had it changed me, but it also had helped ease a burden on others.
Over a year ago, I was on my regular weekly Sunday group training run. Being the frugal guy I am, I normally stop and pick up change I see by the road. This particular morning, it seemed I had hit the mother lode. Every few yards I found a coin or two. Soon I had fallen behind the group because I was stopping so often, picking up change my pockets were filling. When I got to our next water stop, I found out Angela Foster and Gretchen Scoutelas had gone out before the run and dropped change all along the route. They were getting a good laugh. I told them we should start a foundation with this money. We could call it “Road to Change”. With that initial $0.41 and a $5 bill I found on a run the next week, I researched and found the Water Project (www.thewaterproject.com) , where we could fund the building of a clean water well in Kalimani Kenya. It was a perfect project for us since runners appreciate water and Kenya is known for its runners.

I wanted a big, meaningful challenge as part of this effort and since I had done a double marathon for my 50th birthday, I wanted to stretch beyond that. I decided to do the Arkansas Traveller 100-mile run. I had over a year to train. The key for me in setting goals for a run like this is first to tell a lot of people I was going to do it, which for me, locks in the commitment. If you give your word, you have to follow through.

Our Sunday morning group was very supportive of the project both through donations and training. John Phillips, another member of our group, decided to run the 100-miler with me. He had completed an Ironman and was looking for another challenge.

Endurance training, rather than speed, is the key preparing for a 100-miler. I had a plan to run marathons as a pacer throughout the year. Beginning the year, I ran New Orleans , Little Rock, St. Louis, and Cleveland, OH marathons. I also ran a Midnight 50k, Bartlett Park 50-miler and a 73-mile training run in addition to my regular training, to make sure I was prepared.

I was very fortunate to have articles about the Road to Change in local papers and magazines and even a radio interview in Cleveland, OH to help spread the word about our project. We asked for donations of $10, enough to supply water for someone for 10 years. The response from so many caring people was amazing. Not only friends and family, but people I didn’t even know, like Mrs. Saylor’s senior class from Murrieta Valley High School, who had fund raisers to make a very nice donation.

We exceeded our $5,000 fundraising goal, by raising $5,791.45, but now it was time to run the race. As with the fundraising, it takes a lot of support to run 100 miles. John Phillips and I had four pacers, Nancy Highland, John Hazen, George Higgs and Randall Swaney, who volunteered to spend their Saturday night making sure we completed our race.

We arrived for the mandatory pre-race check-in and instructions Friday. We were weighed and given wristbands which showed our current weight and the weights at which we would be pulled from the course if we went below. Seeing the other runners at the meeting, I felt like the chubby kid in gym class. The advice was straightforward from the veteran runners, “Keep moving. Don’t quit. Don’t stay in the aid stations more than a minute. Don’t sit down.”

We started at 6am in the dark, in perfect cool weather. Our friend, John Hazen had persuaded us to use a headlight for the first hour, while it was dark, which turned out to be great advice.
John Phillips and I planned to run together for as long as possible. As we ran through the third aid station, I asked our pace. One of the volunteers said we were on a 20-hour pace, which was much faster than we had planned. Our goal, which we decided the night before, was a 26-27 hour finish.

The trails were hilly, rocky and technical. The rocks were the size of your fist, which took a toll on my feet. By mile 30, I had developed blisters. In the aid station, I asked for duct tape, to put on my feet to eliminate the pain. I changed socks, my shirt and was back on the course.

Getting to mile 50 seemed like it took forever. Psychologically, it made a big difference to get past there, knowing I was working on the second half of the race. It was near the turnaround aid station, on a dark gravel road, that two cars with our pacers, my wife and daughter pulled up beside me, which was a big emotional boost. I got a hug and a kiss and kept going.
Making it to the Powerline aid station at mile 68 was great. There I got to see my wife and daughter again and picked up my first pacer, John Hazen. I also had a doctor do some repair work on my blisters.

They say the real race begins at sundown, which is true. When your field of vision is limited by the headlamp and you have been running 12-14 hours, you have to keep your mind focused on relentless forward motion. John Phillips had long since gone ahead. He was having a great race. The hills had taken a toll on my quads and running downhill was extremely difficult. The volunteers at the aid stations were terrific to the runners. At that point in the race, most were struggling. They not only fed us but entertained us.

The temperature was now in the 50s and it began raining about 2am. I picked up my last pacer, Randall Swaney for the last 16 miles, which were extremely tough. We had to go through a lot of water. I fell going around one large puddle and thorn bush cut my leg and hand.

With less than 5 miles to go, the sun came up. Randall, who talked with me non-stop to keep me awake, took videos and pictures. When he told me we had 2 miles to go, it seemed like 200. John Phillips had already finished (finishing in just over 25 hours). George Higgs, our other pacer, came out to locate me to update my crew at the finish line. I finally hit the pavement and I knew I was close to the finish line. It was at that point that it became pretty emotional for me, knowing I was about to finish, what great friends and family I had supporting me and the 4,000 people who would have access to clean water because of this. I saw the finish line with my friends and family and I moved with everything I had left, which wasn’t much. I crossed the finish line in 28 hours and 7 minutes. 42nd place out of 95 who started. 29 had dropped out of the race.

Despite the aches, blisters and “why would you do this” comments, I felt a great sense of accomplishment. I never quit or even thought about quitting. 4,000 people, more people than in the town where I grew up, would have access to clean water. With God’s help and the kindness and generosity of so many people, that practical joke had a good ending.

It's Time!

2009-10-02T04:45:00.000-07:00

I am ready. John Phillips and I are headed to Arkansas today for the 100-mile race check-in. We start running tomorrow morning at 6am and will be running until Sunday morning around 9am when the race's pancake breakfast begins.

We have a great group of pacers, John Hazen, Nancy Highland, George Higgs and Randall Swaney, that will start running with us after 50 miles. The pacers make sure we stay on course, keep us motivated, and most of all get to the finish line. They make a big difference.

Many of you are like the pacers. Your financial support for this project has kept me motivated to complete our goal. We are now down to the final mile. We appreciate your support to get us to the finish line. I will update you as we get there.

Run with perseverance the race that is before us. - Hebrews 12:1

Update

2009-09-18T08:05:00.001-07:00

You all are awesome! 15 days to the race and now just $318.55 to reach our goal.

Many years ago Rudyard Kipling gave an address at McGill University in Montreal. He said one striking thing which deserves to be remembered. Warning the students against an over-concern for money, or position, or glory, he said: "Some day you will meet a man who cares for none of these things. Then you will know how poor you are."

Through your generosity, the people of Kalimani will have their lives enriched with something we take for granted. It is not about how much you give, but the idea that so many people care for someone that they will probably never meet. That is a real blessing. Thank you.

Getting Closer

2009-09-17T08:39:00.000-07:00

A very big thanks for everyone's very kind and generous support. I am just 16 days away from the race and $428.55 from our $5000 fundraising goal. It looks like we are going to make it but as with a long race, you are not finished until you get over the line.

As you can see, every dollar makes a big difference. The change you may have sitting in a jar may be the $10 that provides life saving clean water for 10 years for someone. I hope you will consider being part of this effort. The amount you may spend on a fast food meal, could be life changing.

Thanks in advance for your consideration to help.

Less than $600 Away

2009-09-10T16:08:00.000-07:00

Thank you very much to everyone who has contributed to the Road to Change project so far. I am in awe of the generosity of people who are helping to provide a basic need for the people of Kalimani.

Today we are at $4,400.95 of our goal of $5,000. Just $599.05 to go. The majority of the contributions for this project have been from people who have donated $10 which is amazing. Each one of those $10 provides clean water for someone for 10 years.

I would encourage you to watch the video here . It will let you see what a tremendous difference you can make in the lives of people, all for the cost of what most people spend a week on soft drinks. If for a week, you drank water instead and you took that small amount of money that would have been spent on soft drinks and used it to provide clean water for these people, you would feel better, plus you would likely save lives.

Thank you in advance for your help to get us to the final mile.

Goal Update

2009-09-04T08:03:00.000-07:00

Great support this week from some very caring people puts us at $4,235.45 of our $5,000 goal!

We are moving into the home stretch. If you know someone that appreciates a drink of clean water or the fact that they don't have to walk 5 miles every day to get water for cooking or personal hygiene, please see if they are are willing to help.

Thank you for your continued support to get us to the finish line.

Final Countdown

2009-08-30T18:43:00.000-07:00

The Arkansas Traveller 100 is 33 days away. I want to thank everyone who has so generously supported this effort so far. We are just $950 left in our goal of $5,000.

I did my last long training run this past week and I was very fortunate to know that there were places along the route I ran where I could get clean water. I had water from a friendly homeowner who offered to fill my water bottles, a couple of ladies who where watering flowers, allowed me to have water from their garden hose, and my son and daughter-in-law gave me water which came from a local store. The people of Kalimani don't have this same luxury. Every morning, women and children, have to walk miles to get unsanitary water from ditches and ponds, risking disease or death, just to try to survive. They then have to carry the water back in heavy buckets to other members of their families.

For a $10 donation, you change that. By you chosing to donate an amount less than the cost of a pizza or what some people spend on soft drinks in a week, a person will have access to clean, sanitary water for ten years! Every time you feel the need for a drink of water, you can know that you helped provide clean water for those who could not get it for themselves, or as Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, "An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity."

I hope you will consider providing this gift of life. I and the 4,000 people of Kalimani, who desperately need this clean water well, would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you in advance for your kindness.

One Small Step

2009-07-20T19:29:00.000-07:00

With today being the 40th anniversary of the first walk on the moon, I hope you will consider that your one small step to provide a giant helping hand to the people of Kalimani. We are very fortunate that we can wake up and walk a few steps to get a drink of clean water. Weekend athletes sign-up for 5k races and get t-shirts to celebrate their accomplishment of finishing that distance.

As you can see from the picture here some people have to walk 5k every day to get the basic human need of water, from an unsanitary source, just to survive.

I hope you will consider a donation of $10 or more, knowing that each $10 will provide someone with water for life.

I am down to 75 days until the 100-mile race. We appreciate everyone's very generous support to get us this far. We have less than $1000 to raise to complete our $5,000 goal. Your one small step can change a life for someone like the young man shown above. Everyone deserves a chance. Thank you for your consideration.

Super Seniors of Murietta Valley High School

2009-06-17T21:33:00.000-07:00

I would like to say a special thanks to Mrs. Saylor and her senior class at Murrieta Valley High School for a very generous donation to the Road to Change project. This is a great group of young people who are making a very positive difference in the lives of those who are not be able to help themselves. Below is an e-mail I had received from Peter Chasse with The Water Project, who had received it directly from one of their students:

Hello my name is Alex and I am a senior at Murrieta Valley High School. My English teacher Mrs. Saylor has developed an amazing project for her senior classes every year. It's a philanthropy challenge to benefit people in third world countries. Students get into groups and pick a non-profit organization. My group picked The Water Project, which raises money to build wells in needy countries. We are choosing to donate our proceeds to a project in Kalimani, Kenya in Africa. They must walk over 6 miles to a dirty stream in order to get water everyday. By building a deep well there, the community can thrive and get the clean water they so desperately need. It will affect over 4,000 in the town and save many lives by eliminating the diseases associated with unclean drinking water. In order to raise money, my group has chosen a variety of different avenues. Today I went to classrooms and collected donations from kids and teachers. Most we re only a few cents or a few dollars but we managed to raise over $153 in one day. We are also going to be selling pizza and juice it up during yearbook distribution in a few weeks to raise even more money. I have great optimism in our school and it shows how one person can make a difference when we all come together. My teacher is a huge fan of Oprah and Brad Pitt, so everyday in class since our project began, we watch videos of certain episodes like the Big Give and The Girls Academy. We also watched a video of an interview with Brad Pitt about his efforts to raise money and awareness in Africa. It has inspired our class to be better and live for others, not just ourselves. I want my teacher to get the recognition she deserves for having such an amazing and big heart. I will be sending pictures and updates on our progress. Thank you.

Thank you for the kind and generous support.

Water scarcity now bigger threat than financial crisis

2009-03-18T12:02:00.000-07:00

A recent article in the UK Independent discusses how 'Water scarcity 'now bigger threat than financial crisis' . Something we take for granted every day is a precious, lifesaving resource to others.

At last weekend's Little Rock marathon, I heard that some of the Kenyan runners who race here, will send their winnings home, where their families can live on approx. $1000 per year. This illustrates how far your donation of $10, about the cost of a movie ticket, can go to save lives.

I would like to thank those members of Team UA Run who have so kindly donated to the Road to Change project! Thanks to your generosity, we are that much closer to the finish line of providing clean water for the people of Kalimani.

Enjoy this Spring weather!

Why Runners Usually Make Great Employees

2009-03-11T07:17:00.000-07:00

Not too partial being a runner but I thought this was a very good article by Oliver Blanchard on Why Runners Usually Make Great Employees.

Team UA Run, Little Rock and Twitter

2009-02-28T14:00:00.000-08:00

As part of my training, I am pacing for marathons this spring. Under Armour is a sponsor of the pace team for St. Louis, as part of Team UA Run. This has given me the opportunity to try some fantastic new UA running gear. Under Armour has some terrific pants and tops for running in the cold weather we have had. My next marathon is the Little Rock marathon March 15th.

I am on Twitter now and would love to hear from other ultra-runners on their training tips as well as supporters of the Road to Change project.

Thanks for everyone's continued support for the project to provide water to the people of Kalimani. I know that the economy has been rocky lately but a donation of just $10 will provide clean water help save lives. I and I know the people of Kalimani appreciate your support.

"One who gives water will get water." Proverbs 11:25 (NRSV)

Spreading the Word and Valentine's Day Idea

2009-01-17T09:58:00.000-08:00

Thanks to some very kind friends in Ohio, we were able to spread the word about our project through a radio interview with Les Sekely and Colleen O'Neill with WEOL 930 AM. You can listen to the interview by clicking here.

The Arkansas Traveler 100 dates are set for October 3rd-4th, which means 254 training days from today. I have several marathons planned before then including New Orleans Mardi Gras, Feb. 1st, Little Rock, March 15th, Go! St. Louis, April 19th, and Cleveland, May 17th.

Valentine's Day is approaching. Every year people look for a nice way to tell someone how much they mean to them. Roses cost over $100 a dozen and a nice box of chocolates can cost $25-$40. Roses wilt in a week and chocolates can add a few unhealthy pounds. Consider a donation of $10 to the Road to Change project in honor of your loved one. $10 will buy water for someone in Kalimani for life. I can think of no better way to share your love than to save a life in honor of someone. You could send a poem like:

Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
I'm providing clean water,
In honor of you.
For you I am thankful,
That is always true.
Now a life will be saved
With clean water from you.

Thanks for all of your support.

Almost There!

2008-12-10T17:05:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the tremendous generosity of everyone who has pledged and donated, we currently stand at $3,486.50 raised to-date. We are just $1,513.50 away from completing our goal.

To give you some perspective, the National Retail Federation estimates that Americans will spend, even in the current economy, $470.4 billion for holiday shopping. Mere days after the holidays, many of the gifts purchased and exchanged will be gone. We are just $1,513.50 from providing a gift of life through clean water to the 4,000 people of Kalimani. That is a difference of just $0.38 for each person that will allow them to live healthier lives and have their children attend school rather than transport water.

Please consider, as part of your holiday gift giving, a donation to this project. You will feel good knowing that you are helping to save a life. It would be a real blessing to complete this by Christmas. Thank you.

My training is going well. I completed the Memphis marathon twice last Saturday for a total of 52.4 miles. I still have a lot of respect for the 100-mile run.

"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace” (Acts 20:24)"

Fundraising Update and Holiday Gift Idea

2008-11-09T13:58:00.000-08:00

I recently received word from the president of the Water Project that the well for Kalimani is actually going to cost approx. $35,000 due to the depth they will need to drill and the inflation rate due to the world economic market crisis. The very good news though is that Chairity:Water (see CharityWater.org) in NYC has agreed to match the money we have and will be raising to meet these additional costs. And, in fact, they will be able to front whatever we need so that construction can begin in the next few months which is terrific news. Thank you for helping make this possible.

With the upcoming holiday season, if you are looking for a special gift and easy way to honor a family member, friend, co-worker or teacher, consider making a donation to the Road to Change project in their honor. You and the honoree will know that your donation is going to provide clean water to literally save people's lives. I can think of no greater gift.

"It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving."-- Mother Teresa

Changing Times

2008-10-12T19:15:00.000-07:00

"I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give you isn't fragile like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid." John 14:27 (TLB)

During these changing financial times, I hope you will keep in mind that the people of Kalimani, Kenya, face a financial and health crisis every day. They must try to find a safe clean source of water to sustain their lives. Your donation of $10 or more will eliminate that crisis for them.

We have been very fortunate so far to have the support of a number of kind donors. Our goal is to have the last less than $2,000 raised by December so drilling of the well can begin. Your help would be greatly appreciated.

I had a 40-mile run today in preparation for the Arkansas Traveler. I am definitely respecting the 100-mile distance.

Thank you for your continued support.

"Our purpose is bigger than our problems."

How Much Water Do You Use?

2008-09-17T05:33:00.000-07:00

Did you know that the average American uses 150 gallons of water per day? That is direct use such as drinking, bathing, brushing your teeth and using the toilet. You can use an online calculator found here to see the total amount of water used to meet your individual needs.

Did you know that one billion people worldwide do not have access to drinkable water? They have to get water from unsanitary sources such as ponds and rivers with the risk of contracting deadly diseases such as malaria, dysentery, or diarrhea. The result of which is a child dying every 15 seconds due to waterborne diseases. That is the equivalent of 12 full jumbo jets crashing every day. If that occurred, people would work to find out a way to stop it.

Would you be willing to donate $10 to help prevent that? We are more than half way to our $5,000 goal to provide a clean water well for the 4,000 people of Kalimani in Kenya. Your $10 or more donation would make you a hero to someone who has to search daily for water to survive.

We are very fortunate that Breakaway Running is helping sponsor this project. “We see the Road to Change project as a way to support local runners and provide a critical need to the people of Kalimani," says Jake Lawhead, President of Memphis-based Breakaway Running. "In our 27 years in business, our corporate philosophy has been to help our customers live a healthy lifestyle and we believe in supporting the most important race, the human race. That is what this project is about.”

Thanks for your consideration of helping with this project.

Man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air, but only for one second without hope.

Choices

2008-09-09T05:53:00.000-07:00

This morning while walking my dog, I went by a skateboard park near our house. I counted 34 different kinds of water, energy drinks, soft drinks and sports drinks that were not put in the trash, many of them half full. We sometimes forget how fortunate we are to live in an area where we have so many choices when we get thirsty. I hope you will consider a donation to help provide the life-saving choice of clean water to the people of Kalimani.

There are two ways to donate, the easiest of which is to donate online by clicking on the "Donate Now" button on the right side of this page, or you can mail a check, made out to "The Water Project" with "Road to Change" in the memo section to the following address:

The Water Project

C/O Road to Change

P.O. Box 39487

Charlotte, NC 28278

Thanks to the generosity of many of you, in the first 60 days of this project, we now have $3,026.50 in total donations and pledges. Thank you for caring and assistance to help.

"Proverbs 25:25. - Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land."

Bottle Water Myths / Save Your Money and Save a Life

2008-08-31T19:16:00.000-07:00

From the perspective of someone who survived my childhood by actually drinking tap water during the summer rather than bottled water, you might want to watch the ABC 20/20 video by clicking here.

Try saving your money for two weeks by drinking tap water instead of bottled water or soft drinks, and donate that two weeks savings to provide clean water for the people of Kalimani. You will be healthier. You will save money and save a life by providing clean water to people who need it desperately.

Thanks for your consideration.

"There are two types of people in this world, the givers and the takers. The takers eat better but the givers sleep better. - Danny Thomas, founder of St. Jude"

A Little Change Makes A Big Difference

2008-08-17T15:15:00.000-07:00

This project started with funding of $5.41. This was change I had picked up on the road while running. Thanks to the generous response by so many caring people, it appears we are now going to be able to provide clean water for more than the 4,000 people originally expected.

This is not about one person doing a big thing. It is about the powerful impact that many caring people can have by doing a small thing. The goal is to have 500 people donate $10 or $0.10 per mile for the 100-mile race I am running. That $10 (the cost of a movie ticket or less than some people spend on soft drinks in a week) can save a life. $1 will provide clean water for one person in Africa for a year. Most people have never been really thirsty; not like the people of Kalimani who have to walk miles every day to drink dirty water, risking disease, in order to survive. Babies die every 15 seconds in Africa due to the lack of clean water and sanitary conditions. Your donation will change that., which is something you can feel good about also.

People have given $10 and much larger amounts. Every dollar is appreciated and will go to save a life. These people who are so desperately in need, appreciate your consideration to donate to help provide this basic human need of clean water. Picasso once said, "Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together." The small acts by the people who provide assistance in the project, will save lives, which is GREAT thing.

Thank you for helping.

A Tip of the Hat to A True Olympic Champion and Supporter

2008-08-14T11:37:00.000-07:00

I am thrilled that one of the greatest Olympic runners, Dave Wottle, and his gracious wife have recently provided financial support to the Road to Change project.

First and foremost, thanks for the people of Kalimani who will benefit by receiving clean water.

Secondly, Dave has inspired countless runners with his amazing gold-medal performance in the 1972 Olympic games. I remember watching the race where he was wearing his famous golf cap, which is now in U.S. Track and Field Hall of Fame, coming from the back of the field to out kick the Kenyan runners, which is unheard of today. Dave's win in the 800m is one of the most inspiring runs I have ever seen. You can see the video of his classic win here . You don't have to be a runner to appreciate this gutsy performance. Dave won by running his race. There is a runner's saying that " You don't have to have the lead if you have the courage to come from behind." Dave's was one courageous run.

Thank you for the support for the people of Kalimani and for being a great inspiration for runners.

One Cup to Save a Life

2008-08-10T19:30:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for a very simple way to save a life? The next time you order a beverage in a 16 oz. cup, save the cup and then fill it up with your loose change. By donating the amount of change that fits in one of those cups to the Road to Change project, you will provide water to save a life.

To give you some idea of how important water is to each of us, did you know that water accounts for a large percentage of what makes each of us “human”? The average 150lb. adult body contains 40 to 50 quarts of water. Almost 2/3rds of our body is “water weight” (depending upon the percentage of muscle and fat).

Blood is 83% water
Muscles are 75% water
The brain is 74% water
Bone is 22% water.

Please consider making a $10 donation to provide this basic human need for the people of Kalimani.

When the well is dry, we know the worth of water. – Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard’s Almanac 1746

Warm Run and a Guide to Ultrarunning

2008-08-03T14:02:00.000-07:00

Today was another warm long run. It helps me to keep in perspective on a run in 90 degree heat, that the forecast in Baghdad, Iraq this week where our soldiers must do their job wearing 40-80 pounds of gear, is for high temperatures between 109 and 113 degrees.

For anyone interested in pursuing ultramarathons, a friend shared with me a great book, A Step Beyond: A Definitive Guide to Ultrarunning. It has some terrific background, training tips and race descriptions for ultras.

The response to this project by so many caring people has continued to be amazing. We are off to a fantastic start and I believe we will be able to provide even more clean water for the people who so desperately need it. This is all made possible thanks to your generous support.

My minister, Dr. Eli Morris, made a great point this weekend by saying, "You don't make a lasting impact by what you make but what you give." Through a donation of just $10, I choose to believe there will be someone who is provided clean water and a new life through your support of this project, that will make a real impact. Someone who otherwise, would not have survived. There are very few places where you can get that type of return on $10.

The following classic says a lot about not only the way we compete but also how we need to guide our lives with others in mind:

"When the One Great Scorer comes to write against your name, He marks, not that you won or lost, but how you played the game. - Grantland Rice"

Have a great week.