COVERING THE TREASURE COAST WATERFEST RETURNS TO STUART THIS WEEKEND. THE 10TH ANNUAL EVENT AIMS TO EDUCATE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING WATER RESOURCES. AND HERE TO TELL US MORE IS ADRIANNA MANCINI AND SUE WHITTINGTON WITH CITIZENS FOR H2O. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE WITH US. LADIES. BEFORE WE GET STARTED, WHAT IS CITIZENS FOR H2O? WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US, CITIZENS FOR H2O IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT WE STARTED IN OUR COMMUNITY TO REALLY ADVOCATE FOR THE IMPORTANCE OF THE GLOBAL WATER CRISIS AND PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT. I STARTED THIS WHEN I WAS IN FOURTH GRADE, AND NOW, AS A SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL, I STARTED THIS NONPROFIT AND WE STARTED OFF AS STUDENTS FOR H2O. BUT THEN WE RECEIVED OVERWHELMING REQUESTS FROM EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY OF MARTIN COUNTY, FLORIDA. SO WE BRANCHED OFF INTO CITIZENS FOR H2O. AND WHY DID YOU THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY OF STUART FOR THIS EVENT? WELL, TODAY IS ACTUALLY WORLD WATER DAY, SO I COULDN’T THINK OF A BETTER DAY TO SHARE THIS IMPORTANT MESSAGE. AND REALLY, WE, UM, REALLY JUST JUST SHARING THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO ALL FORMS OF LIFE. BUT THIS YEAR IS ACTUALLY THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF WATER FEST OF THEIR EVENT, AND OUR EIGHTH YEAR AS A CO-HOST OF THIS EVENT. ALL RIGHT. AND WHAT ARE YOU HOPING PEOPLE WILL GET OUT OF THE EVENT IF THEY ATTEND THIS WEEKEND? WELL, I CAN TAKE THAT IF YOU WANT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE’RE SO CONCERNED ABOUT IS THAT EVEN THOUGH WE WANT TO THINK GLOBALLY, WE CAN ACT LOCALLY. AND SO THE AREA SCHOOLS ARE ALL PARTICIPATING. THEY HAVE ACTIVITIES BASED AROUND WATER, WATER CONSERVATION IS SO IMPORTANT. 703 MILLION PEOPLE ACROSS THE GLOBE DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO CLEAN DRINKING WATER. AND WE CAN DO THINGS LOCALLY LIKE NOT LEAVE THE FAUCET RUNNING WHILE YOU’RE BRUSHING YOUR TEETH OR WASHING DISHES. YOU KNOW, CONDENSING YOUR SHOWER TIME AND SO WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE PUT THINGS INTO OUR LOCAL WATERWAYS THAT WE MIGHT NOT MEAN TO. SO WE HAVE ALL SORTS OF EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES. AND I BROUGHT A JERRY CAN, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A SYMBOL OF THE 703 MILLION PEOPLE THAT LACK ACCESS TO SAFE WATER AND THE THEME OF THE CITY OF STUART’S EVENT, WHICH IS EVERY DROP COUNTS. SO REALLY, WE SHARE THE IMPORTANCE OF THINKING GLOBALLY AND ACTING LOCALLY. SO THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT EDUCATING PEOPLE, BUT ALSO JUST RAISING AWARENESS AS WELL. ABSOLUTELY. REALLY INSPIRING PEOPLE THAT WE CAN TAKE ACTION. YEAH. WHAT CAN PEOPLE EXPECT AT THE EVENT OUTSIDE OF THIS? I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE SOME ACTIVITIES GOING ON AS WELL. WELL, PEOPLE CAN REALLY EXPECT A DAY THAT’S FULL OF FUN AND LEARNING ALL MARTIN COUNTY SCHOOLS PARTICIPATE AS SOON MENTIONED, THEY WILL JOIN FORCES ALONG WITH LOCAL NONPROFITS AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES SUCH AS TREASURE COAST WILDLIFE CENTER, HOUSE OF HOPE, WATER FOR SOUTH SUDAN, KEEP MARTIN BEAUTIFUL AND THEY WILL HAVE VARIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITIES. AS SUE MENTIONED. AND IT’S JUST GOING TO BE A FUN FILLED DAY FOR ALL THE KIDS. THEY’LL BE THERE, THERE’LL BE A FACE PAINTER AND ALL THE ATTENDEES THAT WILL COME WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET A PUBLIX BAG, A REUSABLE BAG AND A NATALIE’S JUICE AND A BOXED WATER. SO WE’RE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE SPONSORS THAT SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS. LADIES, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STOPPING BY AND TALKING TO US ABOUT THIS EVENT. IT’S TAKING PLACE TOMORROW AND YOU CAN FIND ALL THE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE, WPBF.COM. AND ADRIANA, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU ON STARTING THIS ORGANIZATION WHEN YOU WERE JUST IN FOU