A Walk for Water: A Beautiful Inconvenience

This year's A Walk for Water is dedicated to our hero, Cal Smith, who singlehandedly mowed the entire rally field.  The night before the grass on the field was two feet high.  If it weren't for Cal's initiative - he was in the field until 10:30 pm -  A Walk for Water would have been extremely inconvenient, and unenjoyable, too!  Here's to Cal!  He helped make it beautiful!

110 people from various DC area schools gathered.

On May 12, 2012, about 110 people gathered at Lake Frank in Derwood, Maryland to participate in A Walk for Water, a 3 mile walk through in the woods around Lake Frank.  The event supports Amman Imman's construction of permanent water sources in the Azawak of West Africa - Oases of Life that provide clean and sustainable water, and open opportunities for food, education, health and econmic initiatives for the children and families in the water scarce region.

Student carry the Amman Imman banner to start the walk.

This family event was attended by representatives from various schools in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area including the Barrie School, Bethesda-Chevy Chase HS, Evergreen School, German School Washington DC, North Hagerstown HS, Northwest HS, Oneness-Family School, School Without Walls, Seneca Valley HS, Watkins Mill HS and Westland Middle School.  Some returned for the 6th year in a row, celebrating an annual tradition that raises awareness of our most basic resources, cultivates values of compassion and provides a venue for taking action.   Others participated for the first time after learning about the water crisis affecting the people of the Azawak through a presentation at their school.  

Idean and Hadesh at the rally.

We had several speakers, including Idean Marvastian, a high school student at the German School Washington DC, who dedicated himself to promoting Amman Imman's cause at his school this year. Our special guest, Hadesh Walet Mahmoud, a Tuareg woman from Mali, shared her beautiful voice and an original song she'd written about water and the event in her native Tamashek.  We also heard from Oneness-Family School director Andrew Kutt, and Friendship Caravan president Michael Kirtley.

The Friendship Exchange:
receiving and sharing drawings
with children in the Azawak

Children participated in The Friendship Exchange, making drawings that we hope to share with children in the Azawak. In exchange, they each received a card with a drawing made by students who attend school in Kijigari, site of the Montessori Well of Love borehole. They also received a special certificate commemorating their participation. 

By the time we started walking, the sun shined brightly, too hot for some participants.  Many people were thirsty.  Some complained about the bugs.   The rally, usually about 20 minutes, went overtime, causing people to linger in the heat longer than desired.  Yet these conditions, outside of our usual comfort zone, only slightly mirror what children in the Azawak go through searching for water.  That we should endure an inconvenience for an hour's time seems appropriate for the situation we are bringing awareness to.

Imagine walking or riding on the back of a donkey,  in the heat of 120 degrees F, with no water to drink,  just to find water to meet your basic needs.  These children daily endure conditions completely out of their control.   

We endured a fragment of their reality for a short morning.   

From the larger perspective, we came together and enjoyed nature, under the conditions that nature gave us, for the sake of these children, in hope that by our efforts, their well being will be improved.   

A Walk for Water at Lake Frank raised $3,300 which will be allocated for Amman Imman's Oases of Life projects in the Azawak of West Africa.

Thank you to our fundraisers!  

You have turned your caring 

into something tangible that will save lives! 

We gratefully appreciate the help of our volunteers - 

High school students: Dylan, Matt, Angie, Idean, Cris, Justine, Valerie, Mona, Therese, Clara, Mo, Kelly 
Teachers/Parents/Volunteers: Brian Fisher for driving the bus, Peter Megginson for overall support and sweeping the trail all by himself, Karen Cronin and Judy Yormick for womaning the registration table and check-out, Upen Singh for his positive energy and bookkeeping help, Andre Da Silva for bringing the refreshments, June Lang and her students for designing the Friendship Exchange display, Marcy Seitel for directing the Friendship Exchange at the event, Maurice for pitching in at set up time, Melissa and Sophia for folding the cards, Jim Denaro, Michael Kirtley and Bernie Van Leer for taking photos, and Luke DeBoinville and Amy DeBoinville for making a video.  

A Special Thank You to our Sponsors:  

Signs by Tomorrow for providing our banner, 
Honest Tea, MOMs and Ize's Deli and Bagelry for the refreshments,
German School Washington D.C. for sponsoring a t-shirt contest, 
Full Circle Design for putting together the t-shirt design and the certificates, and 
Oneness-Family School for the school bus, Friendship Exchange and invaluable love and support. 

Thank you
Cal Smith! 

Walk for Water with us this Saturday in Maryland!

There's still time to register!   $10/person online,  $15/person onsite. Register and learn more at the Lake Frank AWFW Information Center

There's still time to register!  

$10/person online,  $15/person onsite.

Register and learn more at the

Lake Frank AWFW Information Center

Dear Friend,

If you are in the DC area this weekend, we invite you and your family to join Amman Imman on Saturday for A Walk for Water, our annual walk in the woods around Lake Frank in Derwood, MD in support of the people of the Azawak of Niger, West Africa. The weather promises to be beautiful and sunny on that day! It looks like we will have about 100 people walking with us. 

We are especially excited about the new Friendship Exchange we've added to connect students here to children there. We'll share drawings made by students at the school in Kijigari, where our borehole named the Montessori Well of Love operates. Students will make drawings and messages that we'll share with children in our Azawak borehole villages.  The Friendship Exchange will take place from 9 am - 10 am. Arrive early to participate!

We are also pleased to announce that Hadesh Merzoug, a Tuareg woman who grew up in the Azawak in Mali, will join A Walk for Water.  She'll be sharing her support for Amman Imman at the Rally.  You'll enjoy meeting her!  

Here are some practical details:

1. Registration is now $10/person, $15 to register at the event on May 12. If the fee is too high for your family, contact me; everyone is welcome to walk with us.  Each person who raises at least $50, the suggested minimum fundraising amount, will get a FREE event t-shirt. You can bring your collected donations to the event, or mail them to our office. Go to the Lake Frank Information Center for registration links, fundraising tools and event information.

2. Arrive early! Park at Lake Needwood (1 mile away); very limited parking at Lake Frank. The shuttle from the Lake Needwood parking lot to Lake Frank begins at 8:30 am.  When you arrive at Lake Frank, follow the signs to the grassy field for Check-in and Onsite Registration. The last shuttle to Lake Frank leaves Lake Needwood at 10 am. The return shuttle to Lake Needwood starts at noon and ends by 2 pm.

3. Directions 

From I-270:
Exit onto Montrose Road, Follow signs to Tower Oaks Blvd. Turn Left onto Tower Oaks. Turn Right onto Wootten Parkway. Cross Rockville Pike, and continue on 1st Street. Go straight onto MD 28 East/Norbeck Road. Turn Left on Avery Road, Drive almost 2 miles. After 1 mile, you will pass Lake Frank on the right. Turn Left at Lake Needwood. At end of entrance road,  follow the signs to the parking lot where you will meet the shuttle.

From Bethesda: 
Take Rockville Pike/MD 355 North. Turn Right on 1st Street, Stay straight to go onto MD 28 East/Norbeck Road. Turn Left on Avery Road. Drive almost 2 miles. After 1 mile, you will pass Lake Frank  on the right. Turn Left at Lake Needwood. At end of entrance road,  follow the signs to the parking lot where you will meet the shuttle.

From Silver Spring:
Take Georgia Avenue/MD 97 North, Turn Left onto MD-28/Norbeck Rd. Turn Right onto Muncaster Mill Rd/MD 115. Turn Left onto Avery Road. Turn Right at Lake Needwood. At end of entrance road, follow the signs to the parking lot to catch the shuttle.

4. Schedule for the day:

8:30 am Shuttle begins at Lake Needwood
8:45 am - 10:00 am Check-in and Onsite Registration on the grassy field
9:00 am - 10:00 am Friendship Exchange
10:00 am Rally on grassy field
10:30 am Walk for Water
12 noon Return shuttle to Lake Needwood begins, continues until 2 pm

5. Wear sturdy shoes, apply sun protection, and dress in appropriate clothing to protect yourself from ticks and poison ivy. Bring drinks and snacks. Please keep your pet on a leash.

We thank our sponsors, MOMs, Honest Tea, and Ize's Bagels for providing snacks and refreshment for you to enjoy!

If you have any questions, please contact me, debbie@ammanimman.org, 240-418-1143.

Let's Walk for Water!

Sincerely Yours, for the children,

Debbie

What we can accomplish when we work together!

Just received an inspiring message from Paul Freedman, director of the Salmonberry School on Orcas Island in Washington State.  In March, his students, ages 6 - 12, participated in A Walk for Water.  Today I received this email: 

We finally finished collecting all our Amman Imman donations and are sending the checks today.  The total raised by our little group of 26 kids and their teachers and parents was $2,428.40.  They were very proud of their accomplishment.  We sincerely hope that this small gift will help to bring water to the people of the Azawak. 

Thanks so much for all the incredible work you are doing, and for providing such a wonderful opportunity for meaningful service learning for our students.
All my best,Paul

Paul's message touched me.  First, for the tremendous accomplishment of these young leaders in raising almost $2,500!   And also for the deeper and powerful message of motivation -  that we can do things way beyond what we think we are capable of achieving when we work together.   There is no limit!

Imagine...Collaborate....Persevere!

Make it happen! 

New! Paper Forms and Walk for Water Information Center!

Tangarwashane girl waters a plant
in the children's garden

Plans for a Walk for Water 2012 are gearing up! Last weekend I met with a group of enthusiastic high school students who are helping me prepare the Lake Frank event. With their activism, awareness about the water crisis in the Azawak ripples outward and the tide of compassion for the children and families living there rolls in. Our goal this year is to raise $10,000. This amount can pay for faucets and animal troughs in a new village, and perhaps start a children's garden as well. With your help, we can do it! 

If you planning to come, please register right away (thank you, if you've already done so!). For your convenience, you can sign up online and create a personal fundraising page. However, we now realize that some prefer to use paper forms to register and raise funds. These are now readily available for you to download from one of the information centers below. Please register online; or fill out a registration form, give to the coordinator at your school, or mail it to us. Then, begin fundraising!  

Here is information about the two Walk for Water events being held in the DC area:

1.  On Saturday, May 12, the 6th annual Walk for Water will be held at Lake Frank in Derwood, Maryland. For complete event information and forms, please visit our new Lake Frank Walk for Water Information Center.  

• Register online and create a personal fundraising page.
• Download the paper forms (for registration and fundraising) in the Information Center. 
• You'll find fundraising tools there as well.
• Raise at least $50 by May 4, and you'll get a new Walk for Water t-shirt, designed by students.

Please register today, and begin fundraising!  And feel free to contact me if you have any questions!

2. On Friday, May 25, The Boyd School is hosting their annual walk at Ellanor Lawrence Park in Chantilly, Virginia.  Visit The Boyd School Walk for Water Information Center for event details. Other schools are welcome to join!

• Register online and create a personal fundraising page. 
• Download the paper forms and fundraising tools in the Information Center.
• Raise at least $50 by May 17 to get a t-shirt.

If your school would like to join, or for more information about The Boyd School Walk for Water, please contact Rodney Berthold at (571) 321-0364, or email Rodney at westfieldsclass10@theboydschool.com.

I hope to walk with you at one of these events!    If you can't join us your presence will be missed!  You can still support us by making a gift online.  Thank you!

Register and fundraise online, or download paper forms!  

Lake Frank Information Center 

The Boyd School Information Center

A Walk for Water, 2012

Washington DC area schools and families, please join us on  May 12, 2012, for the 6th annual A Walk for Water at Lake Frank in Derwood, Maryland. Visit the Lake Frank Walk for Water Information Center for links, forms and event details.  Register and fundraise online or offline.   Hope to see you on May 12!

Organize A Walk for Water in your community. Visit our Walk for Water Campaign page on the Amman Imman website for materials and resources.  We have a planning guide and fundraising kit available that you can download.

Thank you for the water! It's great!