Four. Zero.
Forty.
40.
No matter how you look at it, I'll be turning the big ole 4-0 on Sunday. But it's ok. I'm psyched! Why, you may ask, am I excited about this? Because I can be. I'm happy to be here. Grateful for my family, my friends, my health... what's not to be excited about? I'm a lucky lady.
In that light, I've decided to make this milestone count for something important by donating my 40th birthday to Charity: Water. Instead of gifts this year, I am asking everyone I know (and even internet friends I don't know!) to consider donating $40 for my 40th to help bring fresh water to some of the 800 million people in the world who don't currently have access to fresh clean drinking water.
Charity: Water is an amazing non-profit organization that is dedicated to bringing water to people in developing nations who need it. This video gives you a quick idea of how they work.
One of the things I really like about Charity: Water is that 100% of public donations go directly to water projects. They have private donors who pay for all the back-end administrative stuff, so your donation goes straight to the people who need it most. You can learn a lot more about how it works at on the Dollars to Projects page of the website.
In about 18 months from now, when our water project is complete, Charity: Water will provide a completion report that documents who was served, what kind of water project was completed and where it is...complete with photos and actual GPS coordinates. It will be visible on my Charity: Water page, but I will also be documenting on my blog. It's going to be so exciting to see on a map where we've been able to make a difference. Maybe for my 50th, I can go see it in person!
To make things even more interesting, I'm pledging 40% of my total September sales from my Etsy shop to my Charity: Water campaign. I'll be adding lots of new merchandise all month, so please check it out and consider making a purchase you can feel really good about. I just re-launched my shop on Monday, so if you don't see what you're looking for, please let me know. I may have it, but just not have gotten it listed yet. :)
My fundraising campaign runs through September 30th, so please consider donating...and think about the smiles you'll be creating and the lives you'll be saving.
If you are interested in pledging your birthday, you can do that too. Or your wedding or any other milestone you wish....they are happy to accommodate! Check out the Charity: Water website for the full scoop.
Did you get all those links?? If not, here they are again:
CharityWater.org OR The Brass Paperclip Project on Etsy
Thank you so much for your support and for being the best internet friends and customers I've ever had!!
XOXO, Cindi
