If you're an Arizonan like me, you know how important water is. We teach kids early on to drink lots of water, especially during the summer where the combination of heat and dehydration can leave you disoriented and dizzy and even cause you to blackout in the street.

So what do we do? We drink lots of water. We buy our $2 Figi bottles, we run our crystal clear city water through Brita Filters to improve the flavor, and worst case scenario, we drink from our taps or hit a park water fountain and complain about the tinny flavor. We have it easy.

If you're like me, you don't spend too much time thinking about water - it's everywhere we go. When we're thirsty, we flip a handle or push a button. When we're dirty, we twist a shower knob. When our garden needs watering, when our pasta needs to be boiled, when we use the bathroom - water's just there for the taking.

But for a billion people on the planet, it's not. Millions of women and children have to walk hours each day to get water from muddy, stagnant ponds and rivers. And much of that water is infested with parasites and leeches. In fact, 80% of all diseases in the world are caused by unsafe drinking water and lack of sanitation.

45,000 people die each day from waterborne illnesses. That's not just a statistic. That's people dying. That's mothers crying over children. That's entire communities living in sickness. That's orphaned kids having to take on parenting roles for their siblings. That's heartbreak.

THAT'S WHY I'M WILLING TO SHAVE MY HEAD.

Worldwide access to safe water is a cause that I hold close to my heart. I've spent countless hours researching the effects of waterborne illness, and have cried at videos where people are literally dying before my eyes. This one's not so harsh, but it gives you a sense of what's going on. http://www.charitywater.org/projects/fromthefield/kenya.php

When I learned that only $20 can give someone clean, safe water for two decades, I decided to start a campaign to help. Now, my goal is to raise $10,000 to build wells in developing nations. That means together, we can help 500 real people have a better life.

I will literally shave my head if we reach this goal. I'll do it, and I'll post pictures on facebook to prove it. And I bet my head is lumpy and ridiculous looking. You have 3 months to put your money where my mouth is.

I've never actually been dying of thirst. And if you're like me, you'd like to see a world where no one does.

Together, we can make a dent in the global water crisis. I hope you'll consider helping.


**UPDATE: ***
If we raise $10,000....
*500 people will have clean water and sanitation, preventing waterborne illness and death.
*Michelle will shave her head out of thanks!
*Ryan will shave his head too (and his hair is longer than mine)!
*Mike will shave his eyebrows, making him super creepy to small children!

**Special thanks to RACE YOU THERE, for donating 10% of the proceeds from their CD Release Show to this Charity:Water Campaign! (On top of the 50% they donated to the Haiti Relief efforts!!) These guys are amazing!
www.facebook.com/raceyouthere