The coronavirus has brought many aspects of our lives to a screeching halt, along with a good many charitable efforts. But one local business is trying to break that cycle, through cycling.

While the pandemic has slowed down many things, humanitarian crises across the globe aren’t among them. And ‘Pure Water for the World’, says it’s actually more important than ever to take positive steps.

“Its one of those things, we understand that its a hard time for everybody right now, but safe water is what’s going to make a difference in Honduras and Haiti, for folks to be able to combat COVID-19. Because they need to have the safe water to be able to wash their hands the way that we are all able to wash our hands, and use the hand sanitizer and everything here in the States,” says Tracy Andrews, Office and Donation Relations Manager for ‘Pure Water for the World’.

With big gatherings remaining risky, they’ve had to get creative with how to raise money. Deputy Director Jamin Gelder, says they “were trying to think of ways where people could take their own passions… [and] be able to use those passions for fundraising. So we created the ‘Ride for Safe Water’. We also had a ‘Ride for Safe Water’ last year, so we’re sort of building off of it.”

This Summer, the organization has been asking supporters to “Ride for Safe Water”. Bringing attention to the need for safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene for those who don’t have it readily available.

On Saturday, beginning at 4 AM, Shawn Foster began a 100-mile bike ride from Stowe to Ludlow, in the name of safe water. I caught him during a pit stop in Killington, about 20 miles from the finish. Foster has raised enough money to provide clean water to two families, for at least 20 years. He says, “It’s a really good feeling, usually I am riding my bike just for totally selfish reasons. So it’s nice to do it to help someone else a little bit.”