San Francisco Water 1st - Beer 2nd raises nearly $12,000

More than 150 people attend event at San Francisco’s Fort Mason Center

Thank you, San Francisco! We are so pleased that more than 150 guests – friends of the organizing committee, friends of friends of the organizing committee, and people that heard about us on Facebook and Twitter – gathered for the inaugural San Francisco Water 1st–Beer 2nd Fun(d)raiser at Fort Mason Center on May 8th.

Guests enjoyed delicious food from La Mediterranee Restaurant, beer from Magnolia Brewery & Pub, Alaskan Brewing Company, and Lagunitas Brewery of Petaluma, wine from Ukiah Cellars, music by DJ Brent Hall, and photography by San Francisco-based photographer and Water 1st board member Daniel Won.

Nearly $12,000 was raised to support water, sanitation and hygiene education projects in Ethiopia, Honduras, India and Bangladesh.

Supporter and event chair Jenna Peterson welcomed guests and talked about why she is involved with Water 1st. “I became involved with Water 1st due to my past work with water and sanitation in India. . . .I am passionate about helping create a San Francisco community committed to access to clean drinking water. Everyone here tonight is now a part of that."

San Francisco resident Dan Won also spoke about his work as a Water 1st board member. “The first perspective I’d like to share is that of a donor and a board member, where I care about things like the fact that almost 90% of the operating budget of Water 1st goes directly towards supporting the water projects and that 100% of our projects from the last four years are still fully functional.”

Dan then spoke about his January 2009 visit to Water 1st projects in Ethiopia. “The trip really reinforced all of the reasons why I am involved with Water 1st. I got to see first-hand the impact that having access to clean water has on entire communities. I really hope that as you look at the faces in these photos, that some of their story comes across and that you also see the possibilities of helping them directly through the work of Water 1st.”

Guests enjoyed a film from Water 1st projects in Ethiopia.

Marla Smith-Nilson, Executive Director of Water 1st, also spoke of her travels to Water 1st projects and thanked Water 1st donors for their continued support of projects that are making a difference in the lives of thousands of people. “For me this film is a reminder of the real world that we live in – one where unfortunately gross inequities still exist. This is the world we were all born into, but I know we are not powerless to change it. In this room, we have the power to transform the lives of communities in need of water in the most unbelievable way. This transformation will set off a chain reaction of events that will change the course of the lives of these communities forever. . . If we can help people gain access to clean water, we can end poverty in our world.”

Water 1st staff member Kirk Anderson offered guests an opportunity to donate. He then closed the evening’s program by speaking of the celebrations that happen around the world when a water project is completed, and then gave a toast, “To our brothers and sisters in Ethiopia, India, Honduras and Bangladesh…our hearts are with you.”

Special Thanks

Water 1st gratefully recognizes our event sponsors for their generous support of Water 1st. We also want to acknowledge the Water 1st-Beer 2nd event committee who spread the word and made this first annual San Francisco event a success: Jenna Peterson, Daniel Won, Devereaux Smith, Nina DeClerq, David Callen, Eileen Rice, Suparna Kumar, Margie Duckstad, Sara DeRuyck and Kristin Lamson.

Most of all, Water 1st thanks our event guests for their commitment to the work of Water 1st and helping the world’s poor meet their most basic need for safe water.

And stay tuned – we are planning to organize more events in the area! Please contact us at info@water1st.org if you’d like to be involved in the planning committee for future events.