52 Marathons in 52 Days
Scotch Plains native, James Leitner, on June 1st will begin running a marathon a day for 52 days to bring attention to clean water issues in the United States. His goal is to raise $100,000 for his nonprofit, MissionCleanWater which will complete three clean water projects in New Jersey and two in Uganda. Each day he will complete a marathon in iconic towns that has helped him grow his nonprofit organization.
“Running long distance is the best way to symbolize what people face without clean water. If a five-year-old has to walk 3-5 every day to get water for their family as a normal chore, I can symbolize their journey for just 52 days.”
James founded MissionCleanWater in the summer of 2018 and to date has assisted 6 communities and 5 schools in Uganda to gain access to clean water, which approximately helped 15,000 people. Since 2021, MissionCleanWater has been developing a plan to assist New Jersey communities dealing with lead and chemical contamination in their drinking water. Some communities are less than a 15-minute drive to Scotch Plains!
“I have had clean water my entire life, as I am sure everyone reading this has as well. Imagine having no water in your home or your ability to buy bottled water wasn’t possible. Or if your house had water but drinking it meant consuming carcinogenic chemicals that can lead to neurological issues. We can change the world and the communities we live next to together.”
To learn more, donate, and run with James, you canvisit: missioncleanwater.org/projectstateline
