Students raise $2,000 to drill a water well in Nepal

By: KRISTINA SCALA and SHANNON CAULFIELD

Sports, the latest updates on Facebook, Twitter followers, final examinations and summer activities might be what most 12 to 14 year olds have on their plates. For Marlton resident Zach Spuler and his friends Matt Buchan (Mt. Laurel), Jonmarc Rayesky (Medford) and Connor Hunt (Haddon Heights), raising $10,000 to drill a water well in Nepal changed their views of the outside world.

Joe Rayesky, Kevin Hunt and Bob Buchan own Granite Transformations in West Berlin.

“The boys have known each other from birth,” Bob said, adding they also attend the same church as Paul Spuler and his son, Zach. The boys and their dads read “Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations,” by Alex and Brett Harris.
The book’s story about teenagers rebelling against low expectations adults have for them inspired the group of fathers to challenge their sons.

“As a culture, we don’t place a whole lot of exceptions on what kids can do . . . if they just stay out of trouble we are happy,” Bob said. “This book is great for exploiting those myths.”

The project has changed Zach’s view of the world.

“It made me aware of how good I have it in America and how other people from other countries don’t even have clean water,” he said.

The group, Strength in Numbers, has raised more than $2,000 toward drilling a well. The boys have until June 11 to raise $8,000.

“If they don’t get it, they will still take whatever we raise,” Bob said, adding they are working with Charity: Water — a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing clean, safe drinking water to people in developing countries.

Matt said this is the first time he has ever worked on a fundraising or volunteer project.

“I think this is really cool, what we are doing,” Matt said, adding he would like to get involved in more projects after the Strength in Numbers project is complete.

Matt said this project opened his eyes to take advantage of simple necessities.

“The water they have now is filled with bacteria,” Matt said.

Disease, brought on by unsafe water, kills more people than violence every year. Improving sanitation, hygiene and water supply can prevent more than 3.6 percent of global disease, according to the World Health Organization.

Bob said the project would not only provide drinking water to the community in Nepal, it would also provide some with jobs monitoring and helping dig the well. The boys are trying to raise money through car washes, a community yard sale and Chick-fil-A fundraisers.

They have also seen donations from local businesses. Bob said they have received some results by using Facebook and other social media sites. They are trying to reach out as far as they can. Matt said there would be a car wash at the Sovereign Grace Church to help raise money for the organization. Some of the kids from the church’s youth group will also be there to help with Strength in Numbers’ initiative.

Bob said everyone could get involved in a project such as this one.

It’s not a project for fathers and their sons to spearhead. Any parent can do this with their kids. It would help challenge kids and possibly eliminate the low expectations most adults have for them, he said.

“It feels good to accomplish something and to help people. I learned how important clean water is to our health and many lose their lives because they don’t have clean water,” Zach said.