One woman raising money to see her dream realized

One woman raising money to see her dream realized


By Jessica Kerr
Jkerr@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Monday November 28, 2005

Hinton Parklander - Glenda Carter just couldn't forget what she saw
while vacationing in Cambodia in February, and decided to do something
about it.
"We were haunted and we had nightmares about the water," she said.
Carter describes the water as looking like "lime green Jell-O before
it sets."
Many Cambodians rely on ground water as a source of clean water for
drinking and bathing; many wells, however, are contaminated with
naturally occurring arsenic.
As well, researchers found high levels of mercury in dead freshwater
dolphin.
After returning home, Carter, a long-time Hinton resident who now lives
in Folding Mountain Village, couldn't get the images of Cambodia out
of her mind.
She was trying to think of a way to help when the phone rang at her bed
and breakfast.
It was Dr. Tom Murphy, a Canadian doctor working and living in Thailand
-- he was looking for accommodations in the Rocky Mountains. Carter was
unable to offer him a room at her bed and breakfast but he was able to
help her.
"I too am haunted by Cambodia," Carter said he told her.
Carter is now raising money to build wells and latrines in the village
of Takeo.
The money will be passed along to an aid organization called Resource
Development International, which is located in Cambodia.
The first project was the construction of four toilets at a school that
had none. Through her initiative, which she has called Dream Cambodia,
Carter hopes to build more latrines and wells in the village. So far,
Carter has only fundraised through family and friends and she has
already raised around $800.
"I turned 55 in April and my friends all gave me donations," she
said. "I just want my money to go to Cambodia."
But now Carter is hoping Hintonites will dig into their pockets and
help with donations as well.
She is offering Cambodian silk scarves with any $50 donation. She is
also offering to visit local businesses to talk about the project and
show the scarves.
For more information, or to make a donation to Dream Cambodia, contact
Glenda Carter at 866-3050.

.