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Life!

EN liRONM

Seeking Safer Water

Runner circles earth to spread word.

Bill Carroll
Special to the Jewish News

doctors for check-ups and assembling
his listening and running devices,
including muscle balm and warm-
ing ointment. He'll take time off from
udy van Prooyen of West
his
25-year job as a customer service
Bloomfield will go out for
manager
for a Netherlands-based
his daily run as usual Friday,
global
chemical
company. He says
June 1. But this time he'll keep on
his
wife,
Anne,
is
"very supportive"
going — around the world!
of
his
participation
in the run, which
The Netherlands native and Reform
"will
keep
me
on
the
road for three
Jew is one of 20 people chosen world-
months."
They
met
at
a kibbutz in
wide to participate in a first-ever
Israel,
have
been married
around-the-world
for
32
years
and have two
relay run sponsored
adult
children.
by the Blue Planet
The van Prooyens
Foundation, which
belong
to Temple Israel
was created to help
in
West
Bloomfield where
provide safe drinking
he
says
he
was inspired
water throughout the
recently
by
a sermon by
world. The run, start-
Rabbi
Joshua
Bennett
ing and ending in New
about
running
and the
York City (Sept. 4), will
link
to
the
Blue
Planet
last 95 days, covering
Run.
15,200 miles across 16
Rudy van Proo yen
"This is a chance of a
countries in four con-
lifetime
to make a dif-
tinents.
ference in this world:' van Prooyen
Van Prooyen, 58, who has been bik-
enthused. "I'm sure it will be a life-
ing, ice skating and running most of
changing experience. I'm proud to
his life, says he was "shocked" to learn
have been selected from 500 appli-
that more than a billion people must
cants in the U.S."
drink contaminated local water or
Van Prooyen used to ride a bike 30
travel long distances on foot to get safe
miles to school in the Netherlands. He
water for their families.
was a sharpshooter in the Dutch army
"I want to create awareness of the
before visiting Israel.
lack of safe drinking water in many
"I jumped on the marathon band-
parts of the world:' he said. "Water-
wagon five years ago by entering the
borne diseases kill close to 25,000
Dublin, Ireland, marathon:' he said. "I
people a day, including about 250
children an hour. By giving of my time heard about the Blue Planet Run when
we lived in Atlanta, then we were relo-
for this run, I hope to maintain the
cated here by my company" The family
Jewish tradition of helping to repair
was active in an Atlanta synagogue's
the world."
The 20 runners from all walks of life board and youth group, and various
local social-action programs, partici-
— 12 men and eight women — are
pating in many community runs and
divided into five teams of four, with
walks.
each sprinting 10 miles daily, pass-
Blue Plant is a non-profit orga-
ing a baton every 10 miles atirr
nization founded by Jim Zidell, a
exchange points. They'll run to'Boston
California industrialist-philanthropist,
and fly to London, continuing through
with a goal of providing safe drinking
Europe, Russia, China, Japan, then
water to 200 million people by 20027.
fly to San Francisco and head to Los
Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, Washington, The group already has funded 135 safe
water projects in 13 countries, improv-
Philadelphia and New York. The only
ing thousands of lives. I
other Jewish runner in the group is
Shiri Leventhal, 23, of Israel. All of
the run's expenses are being covered
To donate $30 to provide
by the Dow Chemical Co. of Midland,
fresh water for life for one
Mich.
person, call Blue Planet
Van Prooyen has been preparing for
Foundation, (415) 762-4340,
the run by attending Blue Planet boot
or
see info@blueplanetrun.org .
camp in Lake Placid, N.Y., visiting

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GREATER DETROIT SECTION

Invites the Community to Celebrate
The new A•maze•ing Maze
at the All Kids Playground

Designed for children of all abilities, including those
with special needs

Sunday, June 10, 2C4)43.• 1 pm - 4 pm

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Where All Kids Are Special

May 31 • 2007

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