I was born February 20, 1991, and always thought the concept of a "champagne birthday" was rather nifty. Well, it is now upon me, and why drink champagne, I ask myself, when I can help enable others to drink water?

Water is one of those basic things of life that keeps us alive, yet I never stop to think about how important it is until I don't have any. When I forget a water bottle at the gym, or if the water stops running at my cabin--otherwise, I just use that water like it's...well...water.

But without clean water, people are debilitated in all sorts of different ways--girls can't go to school because they spend hours a day walking to a well, dirty water is full of bacteria and disease that threatens and often takes lives of the young and old. I hear people say all the time that there is enough excess in this world to eliminate poverty. And it's true. And in this case, we have the chance to eliminate thirst and provide clean water. The goal I set is half of the cost to build a well. ...Who's to say we can't build a whole one though?

Whether you were going to get me a birthday present or not, I ask for a small gift. This CharityWater funnels 100% of our donations to the actual well-building so nothing gets lost in translation. Come on people, let's do this!!!