A Day of Giving

by Amy Kessner, The Groundwater Foundation

#GivingTuesday is less than one week away. While many are preparing Thanksgiving dinners and shopping lists, we are busy reaching out and spreading the word about #GivingTuesday and our new program - Groundwater Restoration through Education.

I don't know about you, but I could already use a break from the crazy of the season. Christmas music is already playing in stores. Black Friday is slowly becoming Black Thursday. My house is a disaster with only 24 hours to go until family arrives. My mind is going a million miles a minute. So, I propose we take a moment to pause and reflect on this season. A season of thanks. A season of joy. A season of giving.

A season of thanks.

Today, I am thankful for the water I drink. I am thankful for the water that makes my coffee and gets me going in the morning. I am thankful that as I am moving boxes and organizing our storage room in preparation for the Foundation's move, I have cool, refreshing, clean water to clench my thirst. I am thankful for the people I work with who have devoted their careers to educating others about the importance of protecting and conserving our groundwater. So many things to be thankful for on this ordinary day. What a blessing.

A season of joy.

For those of you who may not know, I began working at the Foundation in August. Thus, today I can rejoice in the fact that I have a job I love. Working with Girl Scouts, Science Olympiad, and other youth programs educating students of all ages and backgrounds about groundwater has brought such joy to my life.

A season of giving.

In a season full of consuming - Black Fridays and Cyber Mondays - it is refreshing to have a day to focus on giving. This season is not just about the hustle and bustle and checking items off of our to-do lists. It's about giving our time to those who need it most. Finding that perfect gift that will make your mother cry. Spending countless hours over a hot stove cooking dinners for our family. Traveling hundreds of miles to see faces not seen since last year. It's about doing something special for a person you love just because you can. It's about giving.

"It's about doing something larger than yourself. It's about serving this world, helping others." Let's make #GivingTuesday a true day of giving. Giving of our time. Giving of our kind words. Giving of our money. Giving of our hearts. Giving of our skills. Anything you may have to offer. #GivingTuesday doesn't have to be just for the nonprofits and charities of the world, it can be a state of mind for all of us.

Join us, The Groundwater Foundation, on December 3rd in celebrating a day dedicated to giving. A day to serve this world. A day to help others.

What's Happening at the GF

There's a lot happening at The Groundwater Foundation in the next few months. Here's a rundown on what's going on and how you can be involved!

• #GivingTuesday - After the retail craziness of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Tuesday, December 3 is your chance to give back. The Groundwater Foundation's goal is to raise $10,000 for our Groundwater Restoration through Education project. The project will serve underprivileged youth at Title I schools, and provide education about groundwater, sources of pollution, and the importance of pollution prevention. Youth will also be empowered by this knowledge to make a difference in their community through protecting and restoring groundwater. YOU can help make this happen! 

 

• Groundwater Foundation membership - Have a hard to buy for water enthusiast on your shopping list this holiday season? A Groundwater Foundation membership makes a great gift. Membership dollars help take a step toward the protection, conservation, and management of our precious groundwater resources. It's also a perfect time to renew your Foundation membership - it only takes a few minutes and makes a big difference. Renew (or join!) today!

 

• Join the "move"ment! - The Groundwater Foundation is moving! In order to better serve our constituents and community and increase visibility, the Foundation is bidding adieu to its current office and moving into new digs in 2014, and we could use your help in getting this "move"ment up and going. Visit our website at www.groundwater.org/move.html to find out more about our big move, and how you can help!

 

• Wild and Scenic Film Festival a success! - On Wednesday, November 20 the Foundation teamed up with Threads Footloose and Fancy for a night of water awareness. It started out with nearly 150 people viewing a series ofwater-related documentaries at the Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center on the campus of the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. The night concluded with networking, food and drinks at Marz Bar, along with the drawing for fabulous raffle prizes. Thanks to all who made this such a fun and successful event, and a special thanks to Threads Footloose and Fancy and Patagonia, and sponsors Clif, Patagonia, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Mother Jones, Lied Lodge and Conference Center, and Black Hills Energy.

 

 

These are just a few of the happenings at The Groundwater Foundation, along with our other groundwater education and protection programs and projects. Find out how you can get involved in what we do at www.groundwater.org.

3 Weeks Until #GivingTuesday: Help Us Reach Our Goal!

#GivingTuesday is only three weeks away! We would like to begin the countdown to #GivingTuesday by announcing our goal for December 3rd:

The Goal: Raise $10,000 for the Groundwater Restoration through Education project!

$10,000 = Groundwater Education to 40 Title I Schools in Nebraska! Help us reach this goal by spreading the word and donating on December 3rd.

What is Groundwater Restoration through Education? Groundwater Restoration through Education is a new project at The Groundwater Foundation that seeks to educate underprivileged youth at Title I schools on the importance of groundwater, sources of pollution, and the importance of prevention versus remediation. It also seeks to empower youth by giving them the knowledge to make a difference in their community through protecting and restoring groundwater.

Check out our infographic below for more information about Groundwater Restoration through Education and how you can get involved with the project!

Join Us for the Wild and Scenic Film Festival

Do you enjoy learning about environmental issues? Do you appreciate thought provoking documentaries? Then we have just the event for you!  On Wednesday, November 20, Threads-Footloose & Fancy will be hosting a night of educational and inspirational environmental films at the Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center in Lincoln, NE to benefit The Groundwater Foundation. The Wild and Scenic Film Festival will start at 6:30 followed by appetizers and a raffle at Marz Bar. Tickets are $10 and are available at Threads-Footloose & Fancy located at 1219 P St in Lincoln and at The Groundwater Foundation located at 5561 S 48th St. Suite 215.  Your ticket gets you into the film festival and the after party at Marz, and puts your name in for a chance to win some great prizes from our sponsors Clif, Patagonia, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., and Mother Jones.  Feel free to share this invitation with family and friends - we'd love to see you there. All ages are welcome to this event!

If you are unable to attend, don't worry! You can still contribute by going to www.groundwater.org/filmfestivaldonation.html and making a donation. 

We hope you can all join us for what promises to be an incredible evening!

Black Friday... Cyber Monday... #GivingTuesday

By Amy Kessner, The Groundwater Foundation

"#GivingTuesday is a campaign to create a national day of giving at the start of the annual holiday season. It celebrates and encourages charitable activities that support nonprofit organizations."  

- Mission Statement of #GivingTuesday

The Groundwater Foundation is partnering with #GivingTuesday to raise funds to support motivational and inspirational education and community-based action programs that creatively involve individuals, communities, public and private entities in groundwater conservation and protection. Check out The Groundwater Foundation's partner page here.

How can you be involved?

1) Give on December 3rd!

Your donation will provide groundwater education and activities throughout the nation!

A Donation of $25... brings an Awesome Aquifer groundwater modeling kit to a classroom, allowing students to learn about how groundwater moves and becomes contaminated in a hands-on way.

A Donation of $50... helps a green space manager adopt groundwater-friendly turf management practices on their site, thereby improving water quality and benefiting the environment.




A Donation of $250... provides support, motivation, resources, and recognition to communities of all types working to educate people about groundwater and protect local drinking water supplies.

All Gifts... benefit The Groundwater Foundation's programs and projects that provide tools, knowledge, and inspiration to help protect and conserve our precious groundwater supplies.



2) Spread the word!

Tell your friends, family, and coworkers about #GivingTuesday and The Groundwater Foundation through social media outlets. Remember to add the #hashtag #GivingTuesday to your posts!

3) Get informed and take action!

Groundwater is a vital resource, and everyone benefits from a sustainable supply of clean groundwater. Learn the facts about how you can conserve water in your own life and share them with others!