New York City.............

The reason for our trip to NYC, was to attend the launch of the Tap Project. This project is to have participating restaurants around the country, ask those who order tap water, if they would be willing to donate a dollar for every glass they drink while dining.The funds then go to help people in developing countries who are in need of clean, safe drinking water. This project continues through Saturday which is World Water Day.

The event, called the Tap Launch, was hosted by Esquire magazine. Carolyn and I were picked up outside of the club we were staying at by the UNICEF employee who invited us. The three of us then took the cab to the Hearst Tower, where the event was being held on the 44Th floor. It was amazing to be that high up, and to be able to look over the city.

I was able to meet Lucy Liu, who is a UNICEF Ambassador, the Editor-in-Chief of Esquire Magazine, the director of UNICEF, and also one of the most prominent chefs in NYC, who is also an UNICEF Ambassador. The event was very much NYC style. There was nothing Vermont like about it. I was nervous prior to the event, but Carolyn gave me some good advice, and I know it helped me.

While we were not able to promote Pure Water for the World very much, we were able to spend quite a deal of time with the women from UNICEF who invited us. We spent much of the time at the event with her, and afterwards we had supper together, which was a blast. So if anybody learned more about Pure Water, it was her. Hopefully we will be able to work together in the future.

I am learning so much about the water situation in developing countries. Even though this event was a lot of glitz, there was a number of things that I learned that I had never thought about before. Children in developing countries are not able to attend school because they need to travel great distances to gather water. The children then suffer a great deal of sickness caused by drinking this contaminated water. 4,500 children die every day from diseases caused by drinking unsafe water. What I had not thought of before was that these children have to walk all that way, and for the most part the country is not safe for these children to do so. I wouldn't let my brothers or sisters walk down the road alone,and the problems we have in this country, are in these other countries as well. So not only are the children gathering contaminated water, they are not safe while they travel to get it. I am amazed at how blessed we are in this country.

I was very grateful to be able to attend this event, and also to visit NYC for the first time.

It was informational, and fun as well. Definitely something I wouldn't mind doing again......