the gift of life

Dear Friends,

It’s been a while since I talked to many of you so you may not know that currently, I am on an around the world trip to document and support the work of extraordinary social change agents. Since I’ve been off the radar, I thought I’d send a friendly reminder that my 32nd birthday is in less than a week. While I won’t be in town to accept your well wishes, generous gifts, and dinner offers I would be flattered if you would help me celebrate by donating 32 dollars in honor of my 32nd year to the charity that has become my passion, charity: water.

I have seen great deal on this trip. It has made me thankful for everything I have and, most importantly, everyone I have in my life. Last week I went to the Killing Fields and a former school turned torture museum in Phnom Penn to bear witness to the legacy of the Khmer Rouge. It is hard to describe the experience, seeing a place where so many had been dehumanized in the most unconscionable of ways.

I will spare you the details, but what struck me most on this day were the faces of the children frozen in raw black and white staring back at me; hundreds of innocent children whose lives were taken during the course of my own.

As I processed these events my thoughts turned to children around the world whose futures are in jeopardy.

I set a goal to raise enough to build a well that will provide clean drinking water for an entire village. Your 32 dollar birthday gift in the form of a donation can help me reach my goal. 1.1 billion people lack access to clean drinking water, and as a result 4,500 children die each day from water related diseases. While I can do little to change the fate of those lost during the Khmer Rouge, I can do my small part to make certain others are not robbed of their future.

The well will be built under the guidance of an organization I have the privilege of supporting, charity: water. Their track record shows a history of amazing work improving the futures of communities and children around the world. Charity: water calculates a single gift will provide fresh water to a child for approximately 20 years. Additionally, Matt Damon and other donors pledge to match all contributions made before the end of September not
once, but twice! Meaning your gift grows to three times its value. For the cost of a birthday lunch you could give four children access to the life-saving gift of clean water.

100% of funds raised will go directly to support communities in need and coordinates and images logged during my travels in the recipient community will be posted online so you can see the results of your support and goodwill.


Please make checks payable to charity:water and send them to me at

Michael Trainer
1653 N. Vine St.
Chicago, IL 60614

for a collective donation to be made when I return, or go to www.charitywater.org to contribute directly and let me know, so I can send you images and coordinates on google earth to commemorate your life-saving gift.

Thank you so much for your continued support! Please forward this message to friends who would be interested in supporting children in need of clean water, and check out www.borninseptember.org to learn more about their innovative campaign.

I look forward to celebrating another great year with you all.


With warm regards from Laos,

Michael Trainer