By Jonathan Wallace, PE
LDA’s Jonathan Wallace is committed to giving back. As a member of Engineers Without Borders Tri-Cities Chapter, he is part of the team dedicated to engineering global change.Currently, there are more than 2 billion people who lack access to clean drinking water, adequate sanitation, and other basic needs. Engineers Without Borders (EWB) is a non-profit organization aimed at changing this alarming statistic by engineering sustainable projects in 47 countries on five continents around the world. This is made possible by the 14,700 volunteer members skilled in the areas of water supply, agricultural, civil works, energy, information systems, sanitation, and structures. In the United States, EWB is also expanding their reach with the Community Engineering Corps (CE Corps). The CE Corps is a collaborative effort between EWB, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and the American Water Works Association (AWWA).
Once a community has identified a need and requested help from the EWB, chapters work directly with the community to design and construct the project. Members of the chapter assess, design, implement, monitor, and evaluate appropriate engineering solutions to address the community’s infrastructure needs. Both the chapter and community provide equal input throughout the project process to ensure the completed project is sustainable by the community long-term.
I am a member of the EWB Tri-Cities Chapter. Our Chapter is holding their 2nd Annual Golf Tournament in June to raise money in order to aid the community of Samne, Peru in obtaining clean, safe, and reliable drinking water. The community of Samne is a small community with approximately 800 residents who are in desperate need of our services. Our firm has stepped up and agreed to be a Silver sponsor of the event. I am proud to work for a company who is also dedicated and passionate about volunteering and giving back to communities.
For more information on Engineers Without Borders and how you can contribute visit: http://www.ewb-usa.org/