Walk 4 Water Union County raised more than $33,000 during its third annual fundraiser in June. All funds raised will go toward the drilling of safe water boreholes for the villages of Sihubira, Panyandere and Agaruru B #1 Cell in the African village of Uganda.

Walk 4 Water Union County’s fundraising goal was $22,500, but the community showed up in a big way and went above and beyond. The event has raised enough to fund the drilling and installation of three wells.

These wells are drilled, installed and maintained by Water 4 Kids International, a division of Hope 4 Kids International, a nonprofit working to provide clean water to children and families who are suffering through extreme poverty and disease. Each well has the potential to impact thousands of villagers for up to 50 years.

“Union County residents of all ages and backgrounds came together to celebrate the blessed life we have here and to help spread the blessings to others suffering from extreme poverty and lack of access to clean, safe water in Uganda,” said Desiree Hensley, Walk 4 Water Union County chair. “It was wonderful to see multiple churches, local businesses, community groups, and individuals from across Union County come together to support our walk. We are all already looking forward to next year‘s event.”

More than 30 braved the heavy rain to walk one lap around Union County High School, symbolizing the distance Ugandan women and children travel to retrieve water, largely from unprotected sources including open ponds, livestock water points and polluted ditches. In total, roughly 300 members of the greater Union County community attended the event and enjoyed the great vendors of the Union County Farmers Market, as well as excellent food and desserts from Swineys BBQ and JG’s Snow Cones, and entertainment by the Union County Line Dancers, the E Kapuna Wahine E Kamealoha Polynesian Dancers, and the TN 90 Bluegrass Band. Children in attendance were able to get their faces painted and received balloon twists.

Hensley added, “We are incredibly grateful to the 20 local companies, three local nonprofits and five community churches that participated; the Cub Scouts Pack and Boy Scouts Troops 401, the bluegrass band, line and hula dancers—everyone that came out to support and make this event a major success!”

For more information about the Water 4 Kids International program, or to donate to Walk 4 Water Union County, visit w4ki.org/w4wunioncounty.

About Hope 4 Kids International

Hope 4 Kids International is a Christian nonprofit organization, headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. Leading teams on exciting, life-changing short-term missions to projects around the world, Hope 4 Kids International is committed to serving impoverished children who are hurting physically, emotionally and spiritually. Teams bring relief to poverty-stricken villages by providing clean water, building medical and dental clinics and establishing emergency medical funds. Our strategies are designed to help villagers become self-sufficient through life-saving programs. We carry the message of God’s love and hope through these impactful outreaches.