Endurance athlete seeks to raise funds and awareness for clean water project
Katie Spotz, clean water activist and adventurer, will embark on a 73-mile run across the state of Vermont, making her the first woman to do so.
The run will take place on Saturday, Aug. 7, at the Piermont Bridge connecting Piermont, New Hampshire and Bradford, Vermont, and end at the Waterfront Park in Burlington. This anticipated 14-hour run is in preparation for a 130-mile endurance challenge and charity fundraising initiative Run4Water. On Sept. 5, Spotz plans to run across the entire state of Maine becoming the first person ever to complete the 130-mile journey.
The challenge will raise funds for non-profit Lifewater
International in their global mission to ensure every child has safe water. Spotz has set a goal of raising $20,000. As of Monday, Aug. 3, she has raised nearly $13,000.
“Right now 2.2 billion people drink dirty water. That is every 2 in 5 people on our planet. But it doesn’t have to be this way,” Spotz said on the fundrasing page.
Run4Water marks Spotz’s eigth endurance challenge to raise money for clean water projects in developing communities around the world. She rose to the public spotlight during her 2010 campaign Row For Life where she set records by single-handedly rowing across the Atlantic Ocean in 70 days. She was also the first person to swim the entire length of the Allegheny River — a 325-mile long headwater stream of the Ohio River in western Pennsylvania and New York.
To date, Spotz’s work has impacted individuals in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, India, Honduras, Guatemala, Nigeria and other global communities.
Spotz has partnered with Lifewater International stating that, “There are hundreds of nonprofits doing great work in the field and yet more than 25% of new water projects fail in just three years. Lifewater creates lasting change by working on a local and regional level and building appropriate safe water solutions.”
“Partners like Katie make this life-changing work possible,” said Gary Weyel, Lifewater director of communications. “Because of her efforts, vulnerable families in very remote regions of Tanzania will have clean water, improved health, and hope for the future.”
For over 40 years, Lifewater International has served as a faith-based clean water and community health organization committed to helping children and families living in extreme poverty thrive. Lifewater has served 2.5 million people in 40+ countries and is currently working in Cambodia, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Tanzania to bring lasting safe water and improved health to villages and schools in need.
For more information visit:
KatieSpotz.com.
