North Augusta Comes Together for the CSRA Walk for Water
On a beautiful November day, the vibrant community of North Augusta rallied together for a cause that resonates around the globe—the 6th Annual CSRA Walk for Water. With a backdrop of partly cloudy skies and a comfortable temperature reaching a high of 74°F, participants gathered at SRP Park on November 9, ready to make a difference.
Walking for a Cause
This year’s walk was more than just a stroll in the park; it was a powerful symbol of the challenges billions face in accessing clean water. Participants kicked off the event at SRP Park, marching through the 13th Street Bridge and along the scenic Augusta Riverwalk, before arriving at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. There, with empty buckets in hand, they filled them with dirty water—a poignant reminder of the struggles many endure each day.
Once the buckets were filled, the participants trekked back to SRP Park, where they dumped the water into a pool designated for filtering into clean drinking water. Heather Fleming, a National Programs Walk Specialist with Water Mission, emphasized the significance of the walk: “It’s kind of stepping in the shoes of our global neighborhood and just empathizing with them for a morning of the daily reality they do every single day.”
A Community Effort
This year, hundreds of community members took part, each bringing their own motivations. From young children like Kayley Durst to families such as the Dommerts from Grovetown, everyone shared a common goal of raising awareness about the desperate need for clean water worldwide. Jeff Kertscher, a member of the planning committee, noted, “It opens up people’s hearts to empathy.”
One of the noteworthy aspects of this year’s event was that, due to the impact of Tropical Storm Helene, attendance was free. Every walker contributed to a larger goal: to support Water Mission’s ongoing projects that facilitate access to clean water, particularly in areas hit hardest by recent disasters.
Voices from the Walk
Many participants came equipped with strong beliefs about why they walked. Ramona Jackson, a member of TrueNorth Church, declared, “I came because I want to offer clean water to the world.” Likewise, Nancy Cercy, representing St. Paul Episcopal Church, echoed the importance of the mission, saying, “It’s a phenomenal mission that raises money to help provide this filter equipment to countries, places, and cities that don’t have water.”
The heartfelt statements poured in from all directions, with Aja Blanding, a Grovetown resident, emphasizing her desire to support mothers and children who travel long distances for water: “It’s important to support others, and it’s a fact that those moms are putting their all out there.”
Community and Connection
Families, friends, and even pets joined in the camaraderie. Jim Logan, a local resident and his dog have participated for three years, sharing that he first got involved for his own health and learned about the mission along the way: “I said, ‘Let’s go walk!’” The sense of community was palpable, with Kertscher observing, “Just by our participation today, we can help them.”
Final Thoughts
The CSRA Walk for Water event didn’t just raise funds; it forged connections and built empathy within the community. With the sun shining and spirits high, participants took tangible steps, not just along the route but in the fight for clean water access around the world.
As the day came to a close, the message was clear: This community stands united in support of a fundamental human right—the right to clean water.
