RANCHO SANTA FE — RANCHO SANTA FE — As part of the ongoing effort to provide fresh water, free of contaminates to the people of Sudan, the Rancho Santa Fe Rotary and Water for Sudan, Inc. will host an evening fundraiser from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. March 27 at the home of Bob and Loraine Dyson in Rancho Santa Fe.

“We are really excited about how well our fundraiser on March 27 is coming together. People have been very generous with their time and resources and we expect to have a fun and impactful evening in support of Water for Sudan,” said Don Meredith, Rancho Santa Fe Rotary president and a Water for Sudan director.

After being ravaged by a 20-year civil war, Sudan was left with severely contaminated above ground water supply. Women and children may have to walk eight hours a day just to provide their families with drinking water from contaminated ponds. Many children die from water-borne diseases. Clean drinking water can only be found 200 feet under ground.

Proceeds from the fundraiser will be used to complete the purchase of a truck, a second drill rig and drilling supplies. Since 2005, Water for Sudan has drilled 17 wells and with a second drilling rig the number of wells drilled each year would double. The current goal is to drill 20 wells from November 2008 to May 2009.

Rancho Santa Fe Rotary board member Burl Jordan is also a Water for Sudan director. Jordan said Water for Sudan founder and president Salva Dut is leading a team in Southern Sudan to drill wells for villages in the eastern part of the country.

“Delivery on the second drill has been delayed, so we are busy planning a trip for November. The need is so great that we cannot wait to get all of the equipment and supplies to Sudan to come to the aid of hundreds of thousands of villagers still in dire need,” Jordan said.

The installation of wells brings a less nomadic life to the Sudanese. Children will be able to attend school and villages can begin to establish health clinics and markets.

To learn more about the drilling project in Sudan, visit www.waterforsudan.com. Tickets for the March 27 fundraiser are $125 per person.

For more information about sponsorships and to purchase tickets call (858) 699-0107 or e-mail waterforsudan@yahoo.com.