This week on the concourse, Auburn for {WATER}, a Freshman Leadership Program from the Center for Leadership and Ethics, will be raising funds and awareness to build a well in India.
Working with the Birmingham-based organization, Neverthirst, Auburn for {WATER} hopes to raise $3,000 by the end of this week. Their display features a 100-foot long "Water Walk" in which students have the opportunity to carry large containers full of water.
"We are carrying the cans to represent the individuals with the burden that we necessarily do not have every day," Mark Price, senior in interdisciplinary studies said. "The Water Walk is a time to reflect on the individuals who are walking a long distance, longer than the 100-foot distance itself. And the carrying cans are heavy. It's not a huge task but I think that water itself connects to a lot of different causes."
Rebecca Savas, freshman in psychology, completed the "Water Walk" and said she agrees.
"Here I complain about how heavy my backpack is, but it's nothing compared to what other people carry in order to live," Savas said.
Neverthirst is a small, non-profit organization that builds wells in India, Cambodia and south Sudan. The money raised this week by Auburn for {WATER} will go to an area in India.
"The reason we chose India is because a lot of children suffer from a lack of access to clean drinking water," Price said. "It is estimated that in over 100 million homes in India, children don't have access to clean drinking water. If 783 million people in the world do not have access to clean drinking water and one-eighth of them are in India... that's huge."
Auburn for {WATER} supports the platform of Miss Auburn 2013, Tara Jones.
"It's pretty cool," Molly Ann Pinnix, freshman in business administration and communications said. "We, as Freshman, weren't here when Miss Auburn, Tara Jones, was elected, but it's awesome to carry on that legacy and see that we're honoring the students that came before us."
Pinnix also said the group recognizes that it's a problem and can have an impact on as incoming freshman.
"It's a way to get our foot in the door and we leave our legacy by continuing on that cause," Pinnix said.
As a member of the Freshman Leadership Program, the students are coming together to work for a greater cause, Pinnix said.
"It really is a global crisis and it's really cool to kind of see something on a large scale."
Also happening this week, Auburn students can come show their support with "Thirstday" on Thursday, Feb. 27, at Chipotle. There will be a benefit dinner for Auburn for {WATER} from 5 to 9 p.m.
To learn more about Auburn for {WATER} or to purchase a T-shirt for $15, visit the "Water Walk" display on the concourse.
For more information about Neverthirst, or to donate online to Auburn for {WATER}, visit www.neverthirstwater.org/auburnwaterweek.
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