A few years ago, I was inspired at one of my visits to the Science Museum of Minnesota...
President's Message | July/August 2022
I hope you are enjoying the
summer months. A few years
ago, I was inspired at one of my
visits to the Science Museum of
Minnesota (and no, it was not
about the famous purple hoodie
from Stranger Things). I was
sitting in the IMAX movie theater
watching a movie titled Dream
Big. As you can guess from its
title, the movie was inspirational.
One moment in the show
highlighted the work of Bridge for
Prosperity. This nonprofit focuses
on connecting communities to
health care, jobs, and schools
through safe passages over rivers
that would isolate them from
these amenities. As you might
imagine, I teared up. Seeing how a
“dream” became a reality was truly
impactful.
This is why I am so excited to share with you this
issue of Water Resources IMPACT on hydrophilanthropy.
Philanthropy is just not about money. It is also about
filling a void in a community to help it to be healthy. As
professionals, we can do this in many ways—through
volunteering or creating a foundation or nonprofit. And
volunteering can be done in so many ways. It is not only
about putting something together. It is also about the
people that you connect with and how you can grow
together. These connections bring synergy to any work.
In this issue, you will read about all kinds of connections and how they have contributed to making a difference in
the lives of many. I hope you will enjoy reading about the
ingenuity, creativity, and passion of members of our water
community.
Don’t forget to save the date for the AWRA 2022 Annual
Water Resources Conference on November 7–9 in Seattle,
and let’s connect! Let’s bring more synergy to our work,
share ideas, and collaborate. Workshops will be held on
November 6, and registration is already open. I am looking
forward to meeting everyone in person again. Enjoy the
last few weeks of summer.
Claire Bleser is the 2022 president of AWRA.