Appalachian students were challenged by ASU’s Wine to Water on Friday to pick up fuel cans filled with approximately 40 pounds of water to raise awareness for the water crisis happening all over the world.

Many students could not pick up the fuel container without much applied effort and were shocked to learn from the club that women and children carry them for miles every day.

“Our goal is to let students have a tangible experience to see how heavy these jerry cans are and try the water Wine to Water is filtering,” said Katy Cook, junior public relations major and president of the Wine to Water at Appalachian.

Originally, the group was going to have students walk together around campus carrying the overweight cans. Yet due to inclement weather, Wine to Water set up a booth in front of Plemmons Student Union instead.

Students were also challenged to experience drinking water from Kraut Creek after being filtered through the Sawyer Filter, which uses kidney dialysis technology to purify water to 99.99 percent and is one of the filtration devices Wine to Water uses to provide clean water to people around the world, Cook said.

At the booth, they also had information flyers, promotional stickers and a photo book of Cook’s trip to Trujillo, Peru, last spring with ASU Wine to Water and Inca Link to distribute water filters.

“The event turnout was great,” said Michael-John O’Neal, senior sustainability major and the club’s public relation’s representative. “Students were attracted to the water purification device and water transportation system laid out at this event.”

Cook said the club still hopes to be able to organize a walk next year that will involve a larger amount of the student body.

On April 11 at 10 p.m., Wine to Water will be holding a fundraising event at Galileo’s where The New River Boys will be performing. The fundraiser will in part of Just One Shift where bartenders will donate all their tips from the night to the organization.

Along with the Boone Roubaix: Hell of the High Country, the club’s bike race fundraiser, which will be held April 20, students are encourages to attend these events to not only raise awareness but to raise money for clean drinking water in developing countries.

Story: MICHELLE PIERCE, Intern News Reporter