Festival to focus on people who need water
9.11.09 The Holland Sentinel
ZEELAND, MI- Dennis Nagelkirk will never be the same after visiting India’s Pipe Village, which is made up of people subsisting in discarded sewer pipes without adequate nutrition or drinking water.
Once back in West Michigan, he had a new perspective on our affluence during a visit to Rivertown Crossings Mall in Grandville.
“There was just this huge culture shock, and I asked myself, ‘Am I going to keep subscribing to this culture?” said Nagelkirk, 32.
Instead of continuing with life as usual, Nagelkirk started his own nonprofit, 30perperson.org, which is hosting the first Global-Local Water Festival in downtown Zeeland from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
The event is on Elm Street between Main Avenue and Cherry Street. It will bring together the West Michigan groups attempting to bring clean water to the 884 million who go without it each day. The water groups attending are Living Water International, Water Missions International, Friends of Children’s Village, Safe Water In Ecuador, WaterAid and Aqua Clara.
The event will include live music spliced with speakers and games for kids.
Aqua Clara spokeswoman Casey Dawson said the festival will be a chance to educate and network.
“It’s great to see all these organizations come together for the same cause,” she said. “A lot of people don’t know these organizations exist or what they’re doing.”
Nagelkirk said the day will be successful as long as a few people comprehend the simple message of bringing clean water to the masses.
“We’re trying to give a chunk of the world’s clean water,” he said.
Peter Daining