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  • The outside of Krogh's Restaurant & Brew Pub decorated for the event.

    The outside of Krogh's Restaurant & Brew Pub decorated for the event. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • The mural prior to coloring.

    The mural prior to coloring. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • Hands created by local students from Helen Morgan and Alpine Schools, strung around the restaurant's ceiling.

    Hands created by local students from Helen Morgan and Alpine Schools, strung around the restaurant's ceiling. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • HOW Global Murals from previous years, including one made by children who lost parents during 9/11.

    HOW Global Murals from previous years, including one made by children who lost parents during 9/11. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • A sign about the fundraiser in the restaurant.

    A sign about the fundraiser in the restaurant. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • Izabella Arvary and her "Love Rocks".

    Izabella Arvary and her "Love Rocks". Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • Izabella Arvary paints a "Love Rock".

    Izabella Arvary paints a "Love Rock". Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • One of the waiters at Krogh's takes a customer's order, as she sits underneath a HOW Global banner.

    One of the waiters at Krogh's takes a customer's order, as she sits underneath a HOW Global banner. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • Guests order lunch at the fundraiser.

    Guests order lunch at the fundraiser. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • HOW Global Founder, Rachael Paulson.

    HOW Global Founder, Rachael Paulson. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • Elena Zelenina from Birykov Academy of Sparta.

    Elena Zelenina from Birykov Academy of Sparta. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • Diners watch students from the Birykov Academy perform.

    Diners watch students from the Birykov Academy perform. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • One of the students singing from the Birykov Academy.

    One of the students singing from the Birykov Academy. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • Students from the Birykov Academy.

    Students from the Birykov Academy. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • Students from the Birykov Academy sing as a group.

    Students from the Birykov Academy sing as a group. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • Students dance through Krogh's.

    Students dance through Krogh's. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • Birykov Academy Students dance through Krogh's.

    Birykov Academy Students dance through Krogh's. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • A student from Birykov Academy announces one of the numbers.

    A student from Birykov Academy announces one of the numbers. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • One of the young singers from the Birykov Academy.

    One of the young singers from the Birykov Academy. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • Students performing from the Birykov Academy.

    Students performing from the Birykov Academy. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • One of the singers from the Birykov Academy.

    One of the singers from the Birykov Academy. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • Geoff Doubleday performing at the event.

    Geoff Doubleday performing at the event. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • Students from the Birykov Academy, painting the mural.

    Students from the Birykov Academy, painting the mural. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • Murals from HOW Global hung around Krogh's property.

    Murals from HOW Global hung around Krogh's property. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • Coloring projects for some of the children visiting the event.

    Coloring projects for some of the children visiting the event. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • Nihao Fashion Boutique announces their fundraising efforts.

    Nihao Fashion Boutique announces their fundraising efforts. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • LifeStraws at Shelter Vintage.

    LifeStraws at Shelter Vintage. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • Justine Berg of Shelter Vintage, holds up a LifeStraw.

    Justine Berg of Shelter Vintage, holds up a LifeStraw. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • Alice Sungurov works with artist Elizabeth Olney.

    Alice Sungurov works with artist Elizabeth Olney. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

  • Pieces of art, which will be incorporated into the latest HOW Global mural.

    Pieces of art, which will be incorporated into the latest HOW Global mural. Credits: Jennifer Jean Miller

Krogh’s Restaurant & Brew Pub and HOW Global Teamed Up For Clean Water Projects Fundraiser

Jennifer Jean Miller

Monday, September 24, 2012 • 4:39pm

SPARTA, NJ – Krogh’s Restaurant & Brew Pub opened up their establishment from noon until 9 p.m. on Sunday for the “Peace, Love, Music & Art Festival”, a benefit for the Sparta-based non-profit group HOW (Hands On The World) Global.

The organization, founded by children’s author, and Sparta Resident Rachael Paulson, has helped to support clean water projects in developing countries, where there was previously no running water.
 
Paulson was awarded the Humanitarian Award by the Sussex County Chamber of Commerce at the Quality in Business Quality In Living event for her efforts. Click here to read the previous article in The Alternative Press.
 
It all started in 2006 when Paulson set out for South Africa to research about water for a children’s book she was writing. However, she soon learned that villagers were drinking water they had to fetch from mud holes, via a six-hour trek. When she embarked with the group of women and children assigned to carry water back to their village. Paulson accompanied them, and was shocked to see animals drinking from their same water source, and realized she had to take action.
 
“I saw beautiful little girls fetching water from dirty mud holes,” Paulson said. “This changed my life. I went from being a children’s author, to providing water.”
 
In the first village, the school, which was 100-years-old, had been waiting for water for 50 years. By the end of her stay, Paulson had contracted a drilling company to excavate, and they hit a water source.
 
In the first village, the school, which was 100-years-old, had been waiting for water for 50 years. By the end of her stay, Paulson had contracted a drilling company to excavate, and they hit a water source.
 
Thanks to the efforts of HOW Global, approximately 26,000 South Africans now have running water.
 
In Ghana, Paulson’s organization also distributed 1,000 LifeStraws, which are portable water purifiers.
 
HOW Global helped out water efforts in Haiti, as well as coordinating 400 LifeStraws.
 
Paulson’s next trip is planned for Kenya, where she has heard of seven schools, which do not have running water.
 
In some of the countries where she has visited, mothers delay naming their children until they reach a certain age, expecting they may die from the lack of clean water, or the diseases they may contract by drinking the available water.
 
“Today is the day I can thank everyone,” Paulson told the audience who packed into Krogh’s Restaurant & Brew Pub for the festival. “The first support came from our community.”
 
The all-day event featured young local musical talents including Geoff Doubleday, Alex Inglis, Alice Sungurov, and Joe Parella, who performed at various times throughout the day. Additionally, students from the Birykov Academy of Sparta performed various numbers, many of them focusing on world themes, and sung in foreign languages.
 
Additionally, children from the Birykov Academy painted the organization’s newest mural, which will accompany Paulson, on her next trip. Paulson brings murals to the countries, and asks children there to place their handprints on the murals.
 
During the Krogh’s event, murals from over the years were displayed throughout the restaurant, as well as outside in Krogh’s side parking lot, which was where the latest mural was being painted.
 
Paulson gave a special thanks to Andrea at Krogh’s, and presented her with a mug. She also thanked Elena Zelenina from the Birykov Academy of Sparta, for the efforts of her students.
 
"Art is very powerful," said Zelenina. "It really corresponds to what we're doing promoting global community and global leadership. If kids in Africa see a brighter day, they won't fetch water again."
 
Zelenina's daughter is performer Alice Sungurov, 14, who also violunteers her time with HOW Global's Global Kids Group.
 
"Rachael found me through my mom," Sungurov said. "I went to India before to help, I always wanted to make a difference, and start charities. It's such a blessing. Kids don't realize what they have here. My parents grew up in Russia. I am very spoiled in my life, and I want to give back."
 
Nearby shops likewise participated in the fundraiser. Phyllis Santos, owner of Nihao Fashion Boutique donated proceeds from anything purchased from her store with a Peace Sign theme. Otherwise that day, all other items were 20 percent off.
 
 At Shelter Vintage, owner Deborah Graybill opened up her back patio for artist Elizabeth Olney, Art Workshop Facilitator, to help participants create a portion for the mural.

Shelter Vintage also had LifeStraws on hand, which customers could purchase to benefit HOW Global.

"I think it's a wonderful idea," said Justine Berg of LifeStraw, who works at the store. "The filter lasts for one year, and gives children clean drinking water for a year. It's even helpful for parts of our country where we don't have clean water."

Another contributor to the fundraiser was Izabella Arvary, a six-year-old Andover Township resident, who attends Florence M. Burd School. Avery created "Love Rocks" at the event. 

Paulson was introduced to Avary's mother, Amy, who runs The Tree of Health Center, about the services she offs in peace, meditation, and energy.

"When I met Izabella, there was a connection there," Paulson said. 

Click here to see videos of Arvary and her "Love Rocks"; ">click here, and ">here for her video about her fundraiser for HOW Global. 

"I collected rocks in my backyard, painted them, and kept them," Avary said, as she painted her rocks from a selection of nail polishes she brought with her.

She asked the purchaser of each rock to bless it, then pass it on to someone they feel needs love.

Students from both the Helen Morgan and Alpine Schools, created handprint art, that was hung throughout the restaurant.

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