Portland Water 1st • Beer 2nd raises $23,000!

The 2nd annual Water 1st – Beer 2nd Event at BridgePort Brewing Company in Portland, Oregon, was a great success, raising more than $23,000 in support of the work of Water 1st. Guests enjoyed food, delicious BridgePort brews, a silent auction, and raised enough money to provide water, toilets, and hygiene education for more than 300 people for life.

Before the formal program, guests were treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of BridgePort Brewery, an eco-friendly operation. Portland residents and Water 1st supporters Rachael Kurrynny and Audrey Lingley emceed the event and thanked guests for taking action to help the world’s poorest gain access to safe water. Water 1st board member and local committee member Seshu Vaddey also thanked everyone for coming together in support of this important cause.

Guests enjoyed a film featuring updates from Water 1st projects in Honduras. Marla Smith-Nilson, Executive Director of Water 1st, also spoke of her recent travels to Water 1st projects, and encouraged guests to help support communities in need of clean water. "Tonight we have an exciting opportunity,” she said. “A member of the Portland community has generously pledged to match everyone’s contribution dollar for dollar tonight. When a donation of $250 is matched, it becomes $500, enough to benefit an entire family in Ethiopia or Honduras, Bangladesh, or India – changing seven lives forever.”

Inspired by the presentation, the BridgePort bartending staff decided to donate their tips for the evening to Water 1st. And moved by the generosity of the BridgePort staff, an employee of GSI Water Solutions said that GSI would match their tip donation. Considering the original dollar-for-dollar match, the bartending tip donation was multiplied four times, “enough to bring safe water to one family for a lifetime!” remarked a BridgePort staff member.

Special Thanks

Water 1st gratefully recognizes our Portland-area matching fund donor for their generous support of this event and our efforts, as well as GSI Water Solutions, Inc. for their event sponsorship. We would also like to bring special attention to our event volunteers and guests for their commitment to the work of Water 1st and helping the world’s poor meet their most basic need for safe water.