Vienna Students Will Walk 50 Miles To Improve Clean Water Access

VIENNA, VA—When you calculate the approximately 50-mile trip from Vienna to Baltimore, you could get there in about an hour when traffic is minimal. The walking distance is a lot longer—a staggering 17-plus hours. This weekend, a group of Vienna teens have good reason to walk the entire distance.

The team of Madison High School students led by Alex Covell have coordinated the Walk to Baltimore for World Vision International, which supports clean water projects in developing countries. The walk will happen on Saturday, May 18.

The group will leave from 111 Casmar Street SE in Vienna and finish at Baltimore's Inner Harbor. They plan to leave at 4 a.m. and get to Baltimore anytime between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

The Walk to Baltimore has already surpassed its fundraising goal of $5,000, which will provide clean water to 100 people. Every $50 donated gives one person clean water. World Vision International has provided clean water to more than 3.2 million people.

The group aims to bring awareness to how many people around the world don't have clean water. According to a report from the World Health Organization and UNICEF, 844 million people don't have access to safe water. That's one of the major factors for diarrhea, which kills 801,000 children each year, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"We were inspired to do this walk because of the staggering number of people who lack access to clean water, a resource us in the developed world don't think twice about," Covell wrote in an email to Vienna Patch.

To learn more about the walk or to donate, visit the team's page.