There are 748 million people in the world living without access to clean water. Let's change that!

3/31/15
Feeling the love!

Today is the last day for contributions to my Birthday campaign. I am flabbergasted that in only 8 days my campaign has more than doubled! We are at 82% everyone! I am sooooo happy! I would be very shocked if we were to reach my intended goal by the end of today, but well, you never know. Maybe we can!

Thank-you all for your out-pouring support in giving so that a village that has been without clean water will now have it. Their lives will be changed forever because of you!

Many, Many thanks to all.

Nicki

3/30/15
Today and tomorrow are the last days to contribute to this Birthday fund, A Water World. What an amazing birthday ride this has been leaning about charity: water and how it works. And to realize I have the best friends to give so generously. How many times can I express my gratitude for such a gift?

Yesterday was the 4 month anniversary of the loss of my Mom. It was a sad day, but it made me reflect at how this campaign has kept me focused on the positive aspects of how doing something positive for other people can help with grief. Having a clean water source will change the lives especially for the women and young girls who are responsible for collecting water in these desolate areas of the world who have so little. Water is life. With clean water there will be less disease and Hey... More time! What a novelty for them. We can do that! We are doing that. Yay, Us!

What great friends and family I have.

3/25/15
Wow! I am in disbelief at how many people have responded and given so generously to my campaign that is drawing to an end next Tuesday, March, 31st!

This morning I took advantage of our big snow dump we had. Probably the biggest snow dump then we have had in the past two months! I strapped on my 40 pounds of water in my yellow Jerry Can and put it in the make-do sling Chris rigged for me to strap on my back. Owwwww! What a lovely ski, but my shoulders and neck are feeling the pain. I believe all in total we skied 6K. Chris was good enough to come along to make sure I didn't crash the 40 lbs into my head and to help if I needed someone to share the load.
If the little 10 year old girls from Africa heard me complain about my short downhill ski with my weight of water, they would probably laugh at me and shake their heads. They do it everyday, in the desert heat, bare feet sometimes for miles. Everyday.

Here is a video in the Sahel region in Africa which will give you an excellent idea of the seriousness of their plight without water. https://vimeo.com/100465809

3/23/15
As I took a hot shower last night I ruminated on how it feels to be engulfed by Hot water. It washes away the sweat and soothes the muscles and tensions of the day and even give me a feeling of security. It makes me think about people without clean water to drink and shower in, let alone HOT running showers or baths. To be totally entombed in a hot water shower is a blessing and a luxury and yet we don't feel like it is. We just feel it is our right. The village people in Africa and other places in the world probably don't even have a word for "Shower" or know it's meaning. The best possible scenario they probably have is a river or pond to swim in. Every day I indulge in a hot shower or bath I give my thanks and feel the importance of making clean water a right for all humans.

There is 9 more days of my campaign to collect donations. This fund is at 40% which is wonderful, but I am striving to reach my goal. I know it is hard to imagine I can get there from here, but I am going to try. I am offering massages for these next 9 days to anyone in the Big Sky area who would like to receive a therapeutic massage in exchange for a $75.00 donation. Won't you email me for an appointment? Email: rubnicki@3rivers.net.
Thank-you!
Nicki

3/18/15
Do you know how hard it is to carry 40 pounds of water on your back? Ugh!!! Chris has kindly rigged a back sling from our fire wood sling to haul a filled Jerry Can. My original intention was to ski up to the Summit or snow shoe up one of our snow shoe trails with the full Jerry Can slung over my back. Two things are preventing me to accomplish this task.

1) The weather has been melting our snow! ANd... it has been raining. Of course 10 year old little girls in Ethiopia have to haul water rain or shine, so not a good excuse, Nicki.
2) My body is rebelling carrying it around the living room, let alone Schlepping an awkward weight on a long ski or snow shoe! How do the 10 year old girls do this for miles with a teensy little strap to hold 40 lbs of water on their backs?

I only have 2 more weeks before my campaign is up. Since I have not been able to tell you I accomplished a feat of strength in carrying a heavy water jug in order for you to make a donation, I will make you an offer. If you make a contribution of $75.00 or more by March 31st, I will treat you to an hour massage! Sign up for a massage with me in the next two weeks and feel how good it is to know that you are making a difference in helping women and children who are burdened with this task for their families.

And if my campaign doesn't inspire you to donate to my birthday campaign, check out Noah's website. He will explain more about charity water and is selling his toys to raise money: https://youtu.be/RW31DEBCg8U

Help me help those without water, won't you?!

Thank-you!!!

3/6/15
Woo-Hoo!
Thank-you for all of my friends and family that have been so kind to join in my quest to bring clean water to those without. I am 25% to my goal in my birthday campaign to raise money for those villages in un-developed countries who can't count on clean water at their finger tips like we can.

Usually it is the children and women who hike to an unclean water source, sometimes miles away, to haul water to their families every day. I have watched some of the videos and wonder how they do it. To think something as basic as bringing clean water to a village can mean children going to school everyday instead of hauling water. It could stop young women being raped and molested on their trips to collect water. Disease from unclean water will stop resulting in less deaths.

All this seems pretty profound to me and I am going to continue to do what I can in raising money to provide a clean water project to be built in one of these villages.

Making a difference feels good. Please join me in working to reach my goal.
Thank-You!
Nicki

2/1/15
My birthday is almost here. Although it is not a leap year, it is my in between birthday this Feb. 28th. I'm not usually excited about getting older, but this year I'm really thankful to have lived another happy, healthy year. With my Mom's passing this past November, it has made me realize how our gift of life is precious and short. What can I do with my time left to help humanity? I have recently learned that millions of kids around the world don't live to see their fifth birthday because they don't have access to clean, safe drinking water. Wow - Really? I then discovered through charity: water, I can help to change that.

I'm asking for my age in dollars ($59, or if you are counting leap year birthdays, $14.75) from everyone I know. I've learned that every penny of the money raised will directly fund clean water projects in developing countries. What is really cool is that charity: water will show us exactly which projects we funded once they've been fully completed (which takes about 21 months). That means we'll know the locations and names of the communities we helped.

Starting this month, I myself am donating my age in dollars every month until my 60th birthday rolls around on Feb 29th, 2016. I want to celebrate my last year in my 50's with the gift of clean water for people who live without. Help me reach beyond this goal by whatever you care to give. Please donate to my birthday campaign, A Water World and celebrate with me!