CHICAGO, IL, June 21, 2010 -- Right on the heels of announcing overachievement of their 2009 goals, Water For People (www.waterforpeople.org) announced 20 winners of their prestigious Kenneth J. Miller Founder Awards. The Founders' Award was established in 2001 as a special recognition for volunteers who show outstanding service to this international humanitarian effort. The awards ceremony was held today during the American Water Works Association's Annual Conference & Exposition in Chicago.
"We are thrilled to have a rich and diverse volunteer corps to assist Water For People in realizing our vision where no one dies from water or sanitation related disease," said Ned Breslin, CEO. "We have over 60 local volunteer committees throughout the US and Canada and another 150 volunteers in our World Water Corps® working to create more transparency to our efforts. Today we honor 20 outstanding volunteers, but we remain grateful to each and every volunteer who contributed to our phenomenal success over the last year."
"Our volunteer committees help with fundraising, raising almost $1,000,000 in 2009 alone," explained Jodi Lundin, Senior Manager of Strategic Partnerships. "Equally important, they help raise awareness by spearheading education and outreach in their local communities."
"Water For People is a very compassionate organization aimed at helping folks achieve the most basic of humankind necessities -- potable water and adequate sanitation," said Chet Auckly, one of this year's winners. "I strongly believe in this noble cause and I respect their commitment to avoid creating dependency among the communities they serve. Their unique approach of collaborating with the local community to build long-lasting solutions, and of measuring success over the long term, is the only way we will ever truly eradicate water poverty. I'm also very humbled and honored in being nominated to receive the Kenneth J. Miller Founders' Award!"
The full list of award winners and pictures of them can be found on the Water For People website.
This year's winners include: Jeff Biggs of the Arizona Section- American Water Works Association; Douglas Campbell of the Western Canada Section- American Water Works Association; Chet Auckly of the California-Nevada Section- American Water Works Association; Pasquale "Pat" Radice of the Florida Section- American Water Works Association; Sarah Hudson of the Indiana Section- American Water Works Association; Matthew T. Millis of the Intermountain Section- American Water Works Association; Mark Cramer of the Iowa Section- American Water Works Association; David B. Shehee of the Kentucky/Tennessee Section- American Water Works Association; Joel Annable of the Michigan Section- American Water Works Association; Chris Voeltz of the Minnesota Section- American Water Works Association; David Legg of the New Jersey Section- American Water Works Association; Mike Post van der Burg of the New York Section- American Water Works Association; Lisa Edwards of the North Carolina Section- American Water Works Association; Hazel Fetters-Sletten of the North Dakota Section- American Water Works Association; Don Hoekstra of the Ontario Section- Water Environment Association; Jeanne LeJeune of the Pacific Northwest Section- American Water Works Association; Robert McIntyre of the Pennsylvania Section- American Water Works Association; Warner Palermo of the Puerto Rico Section- American Water Works Association; Craig Patterson of the Rocky Mountain Section- American Water Works Association; and Neil Higa of the Texas Section- American Water Works Association.
For more information about volunteering at Water For People, visit http://www.waterforpeople.org/get-involved/volunteer/ or email [email protected].
For more information about Water For People, contact Peter Mason, Director of Marketing and Communications at [email protected] or visit the website at www.waterforpeople.org
About Water For People
Founded in 1991, Water For People is an international, nonprofit humanitarian organization that focuses on long-lasting, safe drinking water resources and improved sanitation facilities in the developing world. While Water For People is in its 20th year of work it focuses not on creating a dependency on charity in the 11 countries it works in, but rather creating the ability of the local community to plan, build, finance, maintain and operate their own systems. The organization works in Africa, Asia, and Central and South America to show that its successful programs are adaptable around the world and can be replicated anywhere. In 2009 it served over 325,000 beneficiaries. Water for People is a charity of choice of the American water and wastewater community. For more information, visit www.waterforpeople.org.
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