Apparently there's nothing I can do to avoid turning 40 on May 1st.
:(
So, if I have to do it, I feel like there should be something good, and memorable and significant about it. Something that is beyond ME. Something that makes a difference in the world.

So this year, I'm giving my birthday up.

Instead of having a party, or asking for gifts, or going out for dinners or drinks... I'm asking for $40 (or whatever you can give) from everyone I know. It's not going to me, though. Not one penny. All of it is going to build freshwater projects for people in developing countries.

I've known about and have been a supporter of charity:water for about 5 years now. And yet, it continues to amaze me that almost a billion people in the world are living without clean water. It is so hard to understand just what that means. We take it for granted. If we're thirsty we turn of the tap and fill a glass. We flush toilets. We take hot showers every single day. We swim in swimming pools... It's just so easy for us.

Yet without clean water, millions contract deadly diseases from contaminated water. 30,000 people will die this week alone. The lucky ones won't, but still have to walk hours each day to get dirty water for their families.

My birthday wish this year is not for more gifts I don't need; and I certainly don't need another cocktail! My wish is to give clean and safe drinking water to some of the billion people on this planet who are living without it. I want to make my birthday matter this year.

The best part: 100% of all donations go directly toward water projects. And about 18 months after this campaign ends, charity: water will show us where and how every dollar we raised ended up helping in the field. We'll see GPS coordinates, photos and more details about the communities we've impacted. Check out the website -- charity:water is doing some pretty amazing work around the planet, and they have the photos and videos to prove it. (www.charitywater.org.)

Please join me. Celebrate my 40th with the simple gift of clean water...

thanks and cheers,
JCS