One local group looks to run and walk its way to ensure those in need have clean, safe drinking water.

Team Living Water, led by Martin Murray and 29 other Sequim, Port Angeles and Bellingham residents, plans to participate in the June 3 North Olympic Discovery Marathon to raise funds to support building and refurbishing clean water wells for Nicaraguans.

With less than a month to go before the race, the team has raised $11,500 in sponsorships so far, which Murray said supports drilling one new well and refurbishing two others.

“The more money we raise, the more clean, safe water we can provide,” Murray said.

They hope by June they’ll have enough to support drilling one more well.

Prior to his first organized marathon, Murray and his home congregation Dungeness Community Church have partnered with Living Water International, a Houston-based 501(c)(3) non-profit, for six years to help pay to drill new wells. Since 1990, Living Water has helped drill more than 19,000 wells while educating impoverished residents in 17 countries about hygiene education and pump repair. Through its support, Dungeness Community Church’s congregation helped drill/fix 20 wells so far. To help with their efforts, Murray and Rosalie Di Magio visited Nicaragua in 2016.

“It was moving,” Murray said. “After we drilled and pumped some water, I got to stand in front of the village and tell them why we were doing it. There wasn’t a dry eye in the place.”

Church, community support

Murray said his church first became involved following a movement called the Advent Conspiracy, which continues to encourage Christians to spend less on presents at Christmas and focus more on loving and supporting family members and others in different ways, such as providing clean, safe water. Participating in the marathon is a new avenue for Murray and others from the church to continue that effort.

“We organized this team to raise awareness of the world water crisis and to support the extraordinary work that Living Water International is doing to assist those in need,” Murray said.

Kate Hall, who worked with Murray prior to his retirement at Sequim’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s Marine Sciences Laboratory, said she’s participating because she believes Living Water isn’t creating dependency but rather “educating and empowering people to remain in a healthy situation.”

So far, she’s raised more than $2,000 for the group, which is the most of any runner, and she plans to run the half-marathon in 10-minute running and 1-minute walking increments.

Team members Kim Mason and Sarah Winfield plan to run the full marathon while others plan to run/walk the half-marathon, the 10k, and 5k all wearing bright yellow Living Water jerseys.

At the finish line, they’ll have a canopy and a table with more information.

Even though the race has yet to start, Murray said he’d like to do it again and he’s already brainstorming ideas for 2019.

To support Murray or anyone from Team Living Water, visit www.crowdrise.com/martinmurray or contact him at 360-683-5433 or mjmurraymurray@msn.com.

Team Living Water is one of four charities participating in the race this year. For more information and/or to register for a race, visit http://nodm.com.

Reach Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.

Runners, including Branette Richards, Al Chrisman and Sarah Winfield, make up a part of Team Living Water who plan to run/walk the North Olympic Discovery Marathon to raise money to dig new and/or refurbish existing wells in Nicaragua. Submitted photos