Father and daughter join thousands Sunday for Chicago Marathon
Michael Mantel, Ph.D., of Sugar Land, Texas, is the CEO of Living Water International and a former executive with World Vision. On Sunday, Oct. 7, Mantel will be thinking about a different source of water: aid stations along the Bank of America Chicago Marathon route.
Mantel, and his daughter Maggie, a freshman at Northwestern University, are joining 1,600 Team World Vision runners in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon to raise money for water projects in Africa. Living Water and World Vision are combining efforts in nations like Zambia. To date Team World Vision has raised more than $1.6 million for clean water in Africa.
Important Dates: Sunday, October 7, 2012
Media outlets: Targeting select Christian media & Houston media (specifically KHOU-TV) in Houston
Spokesperson: Mike Mantel, Living Water
Presentation:
Just-released You Tube video:
Chicago Marathon (official charity profile)
http://www.chicagomarathon.com/CMS400Min/Chicago_Marathon/giving_back/index.aspx?id=5101
Recommended Twitter posts:
Father & daughter run Chicago Marathon on Sun, join Team World Visio. Goal: raise $ to help African kids get clean water @WorldVisionNews
Houston dad and his Chicago daughter join hundreds with Team World Vision trying to help African kids gain access to clean water @WorldVisionNews
For more information on Living Water or Team World Vision, or to speak with Michael or Maggie Mantel, please contact Wilks Communication at megan@wilkspr.com or 708-434-5006.
Extra Notes: Across Africa, people experience such scarcity of water that children – often young girls – are forced to miss school in order to carry water from distant, polluted streams. Global charities World Vision and Living Water International are actively engaged in efforts to provide clean water for these communities and have partnered to dig 50 fresh water wells in Zambia, where the need is great.
“Zambia is a beautiful country, but dirty water is taking its toll on the country’s children,” says Michael Mantel. “Almost half the population lacks access to clean water. Together, Living Water and World Vision are tackling this problem, one well at a time.” Living Water’s expertise with digging wells and training community members to provide maintenance and care to the new well is combined with World Vision’s expertise in health, education, and advocacy programs. Together, the two charities bring transformation to communities like that of Sachenga Village in Zambia. Mantel says he’s proud to run alongside the charity runners from Team World Vision, the largest charity team in the Chicago Marathon. In fact, Mantel led the group that created Team World Vision, during his tenure there. “Running for a cause makes it so much easier to get through tough training days,” he says.
