IU Northwest Geology Club to Participate in Walk for Water April 26

iun2The Indiana University Northwest Geology Club is proud to participate in the annual Walk for Water at 10 a.m., Saturday, April 26 at the Indiana Dunes State Park, beginning at the City West Shelter on State Rd. 49 in Chesterton. The event will promote The Thirst Project, an organization that raises funds to provide clean, safe drinking water to people in the developing world.

At 6 p.m., Tuesday, April 22, students of IU Northwest’s Radio Production and Direction class and the campus’s online radio station, WIUN, will host a live broadcast discussion about the project with Erin Argyilan, Ph.D., and students Ryan Dahl and Melissa Dorton in the Moraine Student Center at IU Northwest. Following the discussion, to be streamed at www.iun.edu/wiun, there will be a question and answer session.

On the day of the Walk, participants will receive empty milk jugs and begin their hike to the lake. Once they arrive, they will fill their jugs with water and continue to walk, symbolizing what many African residents must endure to reach a source of clean water. In Africa, people on average have to walk one kilometer to obtain clean water and in some cases, even the cleanest source is often polluted.

After the walk, participants are encouraged to stay to learn more about the cause. The funds raised will go toward installing a well in Uganda to provide clean water that many Americans take often for granted.

“This year our goal is to raise $8,000, to help build a complete well. We are thankful to have the support of IU Northwest as well as the Indiana Dunes State Park to help educate our local communities on the importance of clean drinking water,” said Melissa Dorton, president of IU Northwest’s Geology Club. “It is also an opportunity to showcase our own natural source of clean water – Lake Michigan, and a geologist’s haven – the Indiana Dunes.”

The IU Northwest Geology Club has raised more than $7,000 for The Thirst Project since 2012.

Parking for the event is $5 per car for Indiana residents and $7 for out-of-state residents.

For more information, to donate or volunteer, please contact Melissa Dorton at (219) 242-4683 or mddorton@iun.edu or Ryan Dahl at (219) 613-9596 or fdahl@iun.edu.