January 2007 Archives

Siobhan Owen, the Canadian Girl Guide who raised over $500 for African Well Fund last May, has run another successful fundraiser for AWF, this time raising over $1400! In doing so, Siobhan has not only reached but has surpassed her goal of $844.80 – a mile’s worth of pennies.

After Siobhan’s penny fundraiser in May, she was determined to raise a full mile’s worth of pennies. She decided to hold a benefit dance. She recruited a local band, Adhoc, and secured a hall thanks to a donation from her parents. In order to sell tickets, Siobhan mass emailed everyone she knew. She also solicited raffle prizes from local businesses and family and friends.

The dance, held on November 10th in Calgary, was a terrific success. Over 50 people attended despite a raging snowstorm. They had a good time dancing and enjoying the music and were very generous, purchasing lots of raffle tickets and also contributing to a change jar that Siobhan set up at the dance. Siobhan was also able to secure a number of donations from people who purchased tickets without attending the dance. Her alma mater, the Calgary Girls school, donated $100.

Siobhan was ‘blown away’ by the amount of money she was able to raise and despite all the hard work, she is already scheming about what she can do next.

AWF is ‘blown away’ by Siobhan’s fundraising initiative and eagerly awaits what she has planned next. Her efforts will make a significant difference in the lives of so many, providing clean water and improved sanitation to a community in sub-Saharan Africa.

Siobhan and friends join Adhoc for a song

African Well Fund's 2nd Annual Got Water? Auction was a smashing success raising over $4000. The copy of U2 by U2 autographed by the entire band with a personal dedication to the African Well Fund was our highest bid-getter selling for over $2000!

Other high-bid draws were water bottles autographed by musicians Sarah McLachlan, MUSE, and Casey Spooner. We are hoping to expand this aspect of the auction and are already collecting autographed water bottles for this year's auction. If anyone can help us obtain a celebrity autograph for one of our bottles, please email Paola Palumbi at ppalumbi@africanwellfund.org

AWF also participated in 2 Southern California Alternative Gift Fairs this past holiday season. We sold our Well Shares at each fair and raised $485 at the First Christian Church in Fullerton CA and over $1600 at the Our Lady of Assumption fair in Claremont. We are also seeking to expand our participation in alternative gift fairs across the country. If you would like more information about how you can sell AWF Well Shares at your congregration's fair, please email Elizabeth Beech at ebeech@africanwellfund.org.

AWF Well Shares are available year-round on our shop page and make a wonderful, meaningful gift for any occasion.

The African Well Fund is thrilled to announce that Pittsburgh punk band Anti-Flag is donating a portion of presale ticket sales from their upcoming U.S. tour to support our clean water projects. The tour begins March 8th in NYC and wraps up on April 22nd in the band’s hometown of Pittsburgh, PA. Presale tickets are still available and can be purchased here

Anti-Flag was formed in Pittsburgh in the mid 90s by long-time friends Justin Sane and Pat Thetic. Inspired by groups and activists such as The Clash and Woody Guthrie, they managed to make music “as desperate and gritty as their hometown.”

Anti-Flag’s political activism has led them to past partnerships with Congressman Jim McDermott, Amnesty International, Student Peace Action and many other people and organizations who are striving for positive change.

Band member Chris #2 had this to say about Anti-Flag’s partnership with AWF:
“The African Well Fund was the first choice when it came to Anti-Flag deciding who to donate money to. The reason is simple, you know the money you donate is actually reaching someone and making an impact. Their results are proven.
The members of the community that surround our band's messages and music are always looking for victories to carry our optimism and hope for the future. Anti-Flag and the African Well Fund working together are providing that for everyone who wants more from their art than just concerts. All of us together are providing positive change in this world.”

AWF volunteers will be hosting informational tables at some of the shows. Check back here for more details as the tour progresses.

For more information about the tour, please visit Anti-Flag on the web at www.anti-flag.com

By Devlin Smith

Last July, the Palma Ceia Baptist Church Women's Ministry in Hayward, Calif., held its seventh annual women's conference, "Being Fit for Godly Living: Mind Body & Soul." Held over the course of three days, the conference included games, music, speeches and activities.

On the third day, Connie Willis, activities and project coordinator for the Women's Ministry, offered a PowerPoint presentation on the ministry's project for 2006—African Well Fund. The group chose to donate to AWF not only because it felt the organization's aims fit with the conference's theme, as well as the theme of a conference workshop called "Glorious the Water," but also to honor Jeannette Ricard, a ministry member who passed away in January 2006.

Ricard, a nurse, was diagnosed with leukemia 10 years before she died but, according to Willis, never dwelled on her illness. "She was a wonderful example of how to deal with adversity," Willis said. Ricard was a wife, mother, grandmother and active member of her church, community and professional organizations.

"Fundraising has not always been a part of the Women's Conference, however we wanted to acknowledge Jeannette's past participation with our group," Willis said. "Jeannette played a major role in planning our past conferences."

Members of the Women's Ministry, participants in the conference and Palma Ceia Baptist Church participants donated $1,500 to AWF in Ricard's honor. The money will be used to fund well projects in Uganda.

Jeannette Ricard

Palma Ceia Baptist Church Women's Ministry