Brett Leckey raised over $9000 for Lifestraw by selling crazy straws and speaking at schools and organizations. Lifestraw is a personal water filter that can provide 700 liters of clean drinking water and removes 99.9% of waterborne bacteria and viruses. It costs $5 and can save lives in places without access to clean water, where 6000 people die daily from water-related diseases. Brett started fundraising to help provide Lifestraws after learning about the need for clean water from his sister. He continues fundraising through his non-profit Ucan2 and challenges from Rotary clubs.

1. Lifestraw®By Brett Leckey04/2010

2. About BrettBrett LeckeyMadison, CT4th Grade at Jeffrey SchoolPlayed football on the 4th grade State Championship team, baseball, wrestlingI have two sisters, 6 and 11, a dog, cat and a guinea pigI had 3 guinea pigs, 24 snakes, 5 fish

3. The Idea Last year, my sister ,Abby, was looking atthe 2009 World Almanac for Kids on the way home from vacation. She came across a picture of a girl drinking from a big bowl of dirty water. So, I read the article and it said that every day 6,000 people die of water related diseases, most of them children. It showed a Lifestraw® and how it could help people get clean drinking water. So, I asked my mom if I could raise money to help.

4. Needs6,000 people die everyday from water related diseaseSome countries don’t have money for clean water.You can’t survive without water

5. Some girls go to get unsafe drinking water from lakes and rivers instead going to schoolSometimes the girls get attacked from people on the roads

6. Lifestraw®It lasts for one year or 700 liters.It costs about $5.It filters out 99.9% of waterborne bacteria, and viruses.It cannot be used in saltwater.It is easy to use.Is made by Vestergaard- Frandsen.

7. Press on LifestrawCNN 2010 names Lifestraw one of the Ten Things to change the WorldTime ‘Best Invention of 2005’Reader’s Digest ‘Europe’s Best Invention’Forbes magazine ‘One of the ‘Ten Things That Will Change The Way We Live’

8. How it worksLifeStraw® contains a specially developed halogenated resin that kills bacteria and viruses on contact; a special chamber further increases the exposure of micro-organisms to the halogenated resin, thereby enhancing the killing effect. Micro-filters are used to remove all particles down to 15 microns. Activated carbon adsorbs residual iodine thereby improving the taste of water.

9. The Jeffrey School Luau, March 20, 2010 I explained my idea to raise money for Lifestraw® by selling crazy straws to my principal and she allowed me to set up a table at the school fair. I made an informational poster and stood for 4 hours telling students and their families about the cause and selling crazy straws.

10. CELC Water Workshop Guilford, CtMarch 29, 2010I brought my idea to CELC middle school in Guilford. The students were inspired to help so they held a water related workshop and donated the admission charge to Lifestraw®.

11. Global Awareness DayMadison, CTApril 24, 2010I set up a table to share my project and the need for clean drinking water . This is when I met Mr. Pikaart from the North Branford Rotary Club.

12. Rotary Club, North Branford, CTApril 27, 2010 After receiving my first public speaking invitation, by the North Branford Rotary Club, I sat down with my mom and created an outline for a PowerPoint presentation. At the meeting, I learned about some of the projects they were working on. They were very encouraging and suggested I visit other Rotary Clubs in Connecticut.

13. Night of Songs May 6, 2010 Students at Daniel Hand High School held a benefit concert where a free will donation was collected a t the door. Over $850 was donated to Lifestraw® that night.I spoke on stage and thanked “everyone for helping “us”, and by us I mean the children of Africa and Haiti.”

14. Housatonic Valley Regional High School The student activist group sent $365, a dollar for each day of the year. A teacher started this group after reading an article about Lifestraw® in Time magazine five years ago. He went on a mission trip in Haiti this summer.

15. St. Andrews VBS 2010I spoke to the kids at Vacation Bible School and their parents about Lifestraw and how I got involved. They took a collection of $200 that day!

16. Devon Rotary Club October 2010The Devon Rotary Club sent me off with a BIG check and a challenge to the next Rotary Club to beat it!

17. Essex Rotary Club October 2010They accepted the challenge and raised it.

18. Madison Rotary Club February 2011Accepted the Challenge and passed it on…

19. Guida’s Good Kid’s ContestOne of ten winners of a $500 savings bond

20. North Madison Congregational ChurchStudents grades K-8 were presented with 3 charities to donate the money from the children’s collection. Each class voted for Lifestraw sending $2000 to buy 400 Lifestraws.

21. My fundraising websitesAllows people to learn more about the Lifestraw® and make online donations. www.causeshare.com/lifestrawwww.Ucan2online.blogspot.com

22. What I’ve RaisedAmazingly , I have raised about $9000 from those events and also: Donations from family and friendsProceeds from 2010 Vacation Bible School in Lewiston, NYSelling crazy straws at local stores: How Cute, Madison, CT Deep River Toy Company, Deep River, CT

23. Where does the money go?The Rotary Club in Ft. Lauderdale, FL is in partnership with the following two distributors of Lifestraw®:www.projecthope.orgwww.imaworldhealth.org Currently, the Lifestraw® is being sent to the Port Au Prince area in Haiti as well as around the medical treatment areas .

24. Ucan2…educate. inspire. act.So many kids have wanted to help that we decided to start a non-profit organization to help make that happen. Kids can choose an issue that they are passionate about and find ways to make a difference. To learn more about it, go to www.Ucan2online.blogspot.comwww.Ucan2.org is under construction

25. Ucan2-Project Lifestraw1. Collect cans and bottles2. Bring to recycling center 3. Drop voucher and or coins into collection buckets

26. Thank you For more information go to www.causeshare.com/lifestrawwww.lifestraw.comwww.ucan2 .org is under construction