A few months back, I had the opportunity to do some work adding features to this web application for Hydrating Humanity. At that time, I had the desire to create a campaign through this amazing organization, to raise money to provide clean drinking water for those that need it.

I decided to create this campaign in honor of my grandfather, Roger Straiton, who worked many long, hard hours building a successful well drilling business in Connecticut (my home state), to provide for his wife and five kids. As his oldest, I was his first grandchild to have the opportunity to work for him for a few summers while I was in college. I got to see first-hand the type of hard work that sustained the family he raised.

In 2006, his death inspired me to evaluate what direction I wanted to go with my life, which led to the decision to move to North Carolina, attend a school of ministry, and intern for the company that would eventually become Hydrating Humanity. Seven and a half years later, they asked me to help them make some additions to this web application, and I decided then that my first payment, for a small number of hours, would go toward this campaign.

For those of you who knew my grandfather, and for those friends of mine that just want to help provide clean drinking water to those who need it, let's see what we can do to honor his life's work by helping get wells and springs in place for communities that need them!

All donations are tax deductible, and all money raised goes directly toward the work on the ground in Africa. See the attached video for more information.

Interesting connecting fact - when my grandfather passed away, the drill rig from his well drilling business, Straiton Well Drilling, was sold to a company that ships them to Africa to be used there.