Generation U athletes heard how long-time well-driller Brandon Stone drills water wells this week.
Brandon Stone of HydroLOGICA spoke to the athletes last Thursday to explain the importance of building a well that not only provides life-saving access to water but ones that will also last into the future.
Nich Cornwell, Co-founder of Generation U, recapped the meeting, saying Stone went to Haiti in 2010 and found that one of the biggest needs in the country was water. Cornwell said Stone was drilling wells and met his business partner on an airplane, and together they started HydroLOGICA, which drills water wells and provides education and training for others to support drilling water wells.
Cornwell said Stone has traveled across South America and all the way to Africa, which has given him a global view on water access. This worldwide knowledge, combined with years of experience, has given Stone the tools to create programs that provide education for sustainable access to water across different cultures and countries.
“That was one of the more valuable components of why we asked him to be a part of our program,” Cornwell said. “Many people have drilling and life experiences that are very helpful and very relevant to what we’re doing.”
Tanner Cobb, a Sophomore, enjoyed getting to hear Stone speak and found it inspiring. “He had no experience, and he moved to Haiti, and now he like teaches people to drill (water wells),” Cobb said.
Finn Rogers, a Senior at Steamboat Spring high school, learned the science behind digging water wells, how drilling works, and how water becomes clean.
“All of that was really insightful as that’s about what we are about to do,” Rogers said. “We also learned a ton of life lessons.” Rogers said empathy was one of them.
Rogers said learning about drills helps him explain them efficiently to people or potential funders for Generation U.
“I think knowing and being knowledgeable about what’s going to happen, how it’s going to happen, will really help our journey,” Rogers said.
Cornwell said HydroLOGICA created a blueprint for others to follow, and that has helped Generation U in its efforts in Uganda.