When third year International Studies major Angela Stallone spent a year in Brazil, she was surrounded by poverty. She saw people who didn’t have clean water to drink, and wanted to help. “I was interested in the water crisis,” she explained. “I saw how water was fundamental for life but also sustainable development.” Together with third year Industrial Engineering major Anna Allen, she began the RIT Wells project to do more for those who did not have the luxury of clean drinking water.
The club spent most of its first year getting on its feet. Once established, its members did everything they could to keep it going by planning events around campus and spreading the word about their project. One of the major events they held this year was a powderpuff flag football game. Last fall, the organization teamed up with Alpha Sigma Alpha to run the event, in which about eight teams participated.
“When it comes down to it, I wanted to get people who care” said Stallone, “and oftentimes the majority of [our members] are female. So we wanted to cater an event towards women that people would be interested in going to.” This is where the powderpuff football idea started. After the success of the fall event, the Wells Project returned during Spring Fest for a second powder puffgame. Between the two, they have raised over $500.
With this money, they are now able to afford to build a well in Haiti through Reach Out to Haiti, a Christian non-profit. Originally, the Wells Project worked with an organization called Living Water International. Through this group, building a well cost around $3,000. Working with Reach out to Haiti, and raising money through their powder puff games, they are one step closer to their goal.
“Each year we try to focus on a country or area of the world that needs critical attention and access to water,” says Stallone. Last year they concentrated on Haiti, but since they were unable to raise enough money to build them a well, they continued to focus on Haiti this year as well.
To help raise more money in the future, the group hopes to set up a benefit concert where people can listen to music and hopefully make donations. “If you have the energy and the will power, you can do a lot,” says Stallone. That is what the group hopes to accomplish with all of their will power; helping as many people as possible.
With over 200 clubs on campus, Stallone comments on the challenge of standing out among the crowd and getting people excited about what they are doing. “We try to create really awesome fun events that draw a lot of people to raise awareness and create interest,” said Stallone. With all of these new events, the organization is definitely on their way to helping people across the globe.
