Hey Guys,

America spends around $500 billion a year on Christmas gifts. That's more than $600 a person. We also spend another $8 billion on decorating for Christmas.

Meanwhile, more than a billion people around the world are living without clean water. Some walk miles every day to get to the nearest source: a stagnant, parasite-infested stream or pond. They lug it back to their families. They suffer from diarrhea, worms and skin diseases because they can't wash themselves. 45,000 people die each day from waterborne illnesses.

Instead of giving me a bunch of stuff I don't need (I'm a pretty lucky girl), I'd rather you help me to raise money for people who need clean water. I'm shooting for $500 by Christmas, but anything you can afford will help.

Every penny I raise (literally - 100%) will go directly to the water projects. You can see where your money's going by visiting this Google Earth site: http://www.charitywater.org/projects/map.php.

If you can't afford to donate (trust me, I've been there), why not sign up to raise money yourself? If you have any questions about charity:water or my campaign, feel free to email me at adrienne.waldo@gmail.com.

Happy Holidays!

Adrienne