"The Anthony Kearns 9/11 Memorial Well" to Honor Sept. 11 Victims is Providing Drinking Water

MISSION VIEJO, Calif., March 14, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Wells of Life, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to providing safe, clean water to children and families in Uganda, announced that its first-ever water well to honor the victims of September 11, 2001 is now fully operational and providing fresh drinking water to communities in need.

The water well, dedicated by Wells of Life National Ambassador Anthony Kearns to honor those who lost their lives after the 9/11 attacks, is already drawing fresh water, according to Wells of Life Founder and President Nick Jordan.

Kearns said that he is pleased that "The Anthony Kearns 9/11 Memorial Well" will honor the memory of those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 – as well as those who paid the ultimate price in defense of freedom. "The new life that is growing as a result of this water well will be a meaningful way to cherish their contributions," said Kearns.

"The Anthony Kearns 9/11 Memorial Well" is located in the Katakwi District of Uganda and is supplying water for 684 students, said Kearns. It is the 104^th well drilled by Wells of Life.

Kearns, who also helped produce two public service announcements for Wells of Life, said that his well and others build "bridges of hope between those who are committed to serve and those who lack this most basic component of life – clean, safe water."

Said Wells of Life's Jordan: "We are proud to have built Anthony's well in only four months.  That's a very impressive timeline, especially given that we are working across three continents."  Jordan said an Irish-based NGO is building the wells in Africa, with support from the United States.

According to Wells of Life, one in six people in the world do not have access to safe drinking water, and approximately one in five children in East Africa dies of a water-borne disease before the age of five. Drilling a well in a village saves countless lives, yet only costs $6,000 to drill.

Kearns dedicated his Memorial Well after he performed during the 2014 National September 11 Memorial Museum Benefit in New York City. At the gala, Kearns sang "Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears" before introducing former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Kearns accepted the donation of a well in lieu of payment for performing at the Wells of Life exclusive annual Fundraiser Gala and Auction at the Mission Viejo Country Club in Mission Viejo on October 25, 2015.

"Our mission is to fund the drilling of 1,000 water wells over a 10-year period, providing water for a million villagers – with 40 wells funded in 2015," said Jordan.

"We believe that water is a basic human right and should be available to all people regardless of where they live. We are committed to inspiring others to join us in eradicating the main cause of poverty and disease in the villages of Uganda – the lack of clean water. We view our wells as catalysts that drives change within the communities we work in. The provision of clean water literally revolutionizes a community overnight," he said.

"We're honored to have the incredibly gifted Mr. Kearns be such a powerful voice on behalf of Wells of Life, as well as championing our work through the dedication of his well and other contributions," said Jordan.

SOURCE Wells of Life

Related Links

http://www.wellsoflife.org