Thirsting to make a difference

 

 

You can lead people to water, but can you make them think?

Roy Martinez, of the Rotary Club of Petaluma Sunrise, Calif., USA, says his club has found a way to do both.

The club has been distributing bottled water with a special label bearing the Rotary emblem and a message that reads: Clean water. We take it for granted. Others are less fortunate. According to the UN, 1.2 billion people in the world lack access to safe water. Rotary International is working to help. Rotary clubs have completed thousands of water projects worldwide, providing water to millions. Thank you for supporting Rotary!

“It’s not really a fundraiser. It’s more a way to raise awareness of Rotary and of water issues at the same time,” Martinez says, adding, “I wanted to do something with water because it’s one of Rotary’s big emphases.”

Since getting the project under way in January, the club has distributed 1,296 bottles, handing them out for a suggested donation of $2.

“We even got a potential new member because we were out in the community doing this,” Martinez says. The club’s Web site and its meeting time and location are also printed on the labels.