By: Chaiperson Lion Brenda,
WaterStep CEO and Founder Mark Hogg shares information like the following in a monthly newsletter which tells us stories of how WaterStep supports clean water. The following is an example of how even big business supports WaterStep.
GE Appliances’ headquarters in Louisville announced a $3 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing — the second largest in their history. GE Appliances also contributes to WaterStep practical, life enhancing solutions for disaster responses. By combining their technical expertise with strategic partnerships, they’re focused on meeting urgent needs for safe water and laundry services in the hardest-hit communities here and across the world. That’s where WaterStep comes in. Together, they even co-developed a Disaster Response Command Trailer, a mobile unit designed to deliver safe water and sanitation to communities hit by natural disasters. WaterStep’s mission has been rooted in that same commitment, bringing safe water and hope to families when they need it most.
The information above is the kind of partnership WaterStep and the Middletown Lions Club forge to make the entire world a better place for those who are underserved or in immediate distress because of natural disasters! The Middletown Lions Club is a part of this “big business” – helping to make a difference.
As an organization:
- We donate $500 to this organization yearly.
- We collect shoes both new, slightly used, and completely worn out-all of which WaterStep uses in a variety of ways to meet needs.
- We collect and store shoes at our meeting site monthly.
- We inform other groups that we are involved in this outreach and often have shoes contributed to us from outside groups.
- We call on neighbors and friends to donate their shoes.
- High school students collect for us to meet their service hours.
The Lion chairperson for this outreach project specifically does the following. Note: We ask that you bring the shoes in plastic bags or tied together if the shoes have laces. This helps to sort the shoes.
The Project Chairperson:
- Keeps the club informed about WaterStep activities by sending to members the monthly emails that come from WaterStep with information about their work.
- Keeps the membership informed regarding when shoes will be taken to WaterStep.
- Drives to the downtown location every two months to deliver shoes directly to WaterStep and more often as needed.
- Delivers 80 to 100 pairs to WaterStep each delivery.
- Provides information for members to seek ways of adding to the numbers of shoes donated. We suggest you ask neighbors, ask other groups that do not have this specific outreach to collect shoes, and encourage our membership to save shoes for this project.
This presents the process of how our Lion’s Club supports WaterStep as one of our outside projects.
Lion Brenda & Doug Logan, WaterStep Chairpersons