Ted’s  Well 
 

In 2004, while I was our Rotary Club’s president, I became interested in supporting an international water project. As a farmer I always knew the importance of water for growing crops. Having clean drinking water was just something I always took for granted.  Just after Christmas that year I kicked off a campaign to raise enough money to drill one well. One of our oldest members, Ted Walton gave one of  the first donations. He gave 1 dollar for his age, which then was 89. Many members used that example to help raise enough for two wells. 
 

In 2006 Ted passed away. In his memory our club raised enough money to drill two more wells. In early 2007 we again made a commitment to support the Safe Water Plus project.  This time our club raised enough to drill three more wells. 
 

Between March 22 and 30 of this year, I was a member of a group of nine Rotarians that went to Haiti to see firsthand what “Safe Water Plus” was all about. We witnessed the poverty, the hardship and the gratitude of those we helped. At a dedication for a new well, I had the great privilege and honor of handing the keys for the gated well to the president of the well association. It was one of the most moving experiences of my entire life. It was the proudest day of my Rotary life. For three years I had helped support a project I knew very little about, and here I was representing Rotarians from all over the world. I had symbolically and realistically helped bring fresh clean drinking water to a tiny community most people would never even know existed. Ted’s Well ended up being in a tiny village outside of the city on Hinche. I had seen Ted’s dream come true. 
 

I have told many people of my experience in Haiti. It was more than coincidence that I ended up being there to deliver Ted’s wish. So get involved, take the risk, make the commitment to do good for others. You will never miss the few days of work you left behind or the $1500 it costs to go to Haiti. It will change your life like nothing else you have ever done. 
 

David Arndt

Janesville Rotary Club