Introducing the Messenger Rewards Program

The Blue Planet Run Foundation announces the Messenger Rewards Program to help raise funds for drinking water projects and allow users to "pass on" the message.

Winners Can Earn Free Trip to New York City to Attend Finale of the 15,200-mile Run

San Francisco, August 1 — People throughout the United States have a new way to raise money for water projects around the world — and win the opportunity to be part of a historic event in New York City at the same time.

The Blue Planet Run Foundation (BPRF) today unveiled its unique online “Messenger Program,” which allows participants to earn points by recruiting others to make donations to help fund projects that bring safe drinking water to the 1.2 billion people who live without it.

The Messenger Program’s launch coincides with the start of the North American leg of the Blue Planet Run, the unprecedented around-the-world relay that began at the United Nations in New York City on June 1. The 21 citizen athletes who make up the Blue Planet Run team have been spreading the word — and inspiring donations — about the global water crisis as they have run relay-style 24 hours a day, seven days a week, across Europe, Russia and Asia for the past two months. Their journey across the United States and Canada begins August 1 in San Francisco.

“Messengers” win prizes based on the number of points they accrue compared with other participants. The three “Messengers” with the most points by August 27, 2007, will each receive a trip for two to New York City in early September 2007, to participate in the festivities for the Blue Planet Run finale there on September 4.

The top 1,500 Messengers will receive genuine Blue Planet Run batons, just like the one that the runners are carrying around the world.

Participants in the Messenger Program earn one Messenger Point for each dollar they or people they recruit donate to BPRF. Additionally, they earn five Messenger Points when they or people they contact sign up as Messengers.

One hundred percent of individual contributions to BPRF goes toward funding water projects. To date, BPRF has provided funding to 135 water projects in 13 countries.
“People have expressed so much enthusiasm for the Run — and commitment to the safe-drinking-water cause — that we wanted to provide a way for everyone to get involved,” said Jin Zidell, the founder and chairman of BPRF. “The Messenger Program allows members of the public to become global messengers just like our 21 runners. We’re looking forward to meeting the three top Messengers in New York City to thank them for their help.”

The Blue Planet Run Web site (www.blueplanetrun.org) provides a number of tools that make it easy to spread the news about the Run and the safe-drinking-water cause. The site allows visitors to send informative e-mails to friends, family, co-workers or schoolmates with just a few clicks of the mouse. It provides a Web sticker that can be placed on other Web sites. It even includes a downloadable slide show that can be used to inform people in workplaces, schools or churches about the opportunity to help the 1.2 billion people living today without safe drinking water.

To join the Blue Planet Run Messenger Program, visit blueplanetrun.org/ext/messengerforms.

About Blue Planet Run Foundation
The Blue Planet Run Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to raising global awareness about the need for safe drinking water and funding working solutions today for the billion people living without water.

The U.S.-based foundation connects nongovernmental organizations worldwide with funding and promotes operational sustainability. The foundation’s signature awareness and fund-raising event is the Blue Planet Run, the first-ever around-the-world relay.

For more information about Blue Planet Run Foundation, or to make a donation, please visit http://www.blueplanetrun.org.

Blue Planet Run is a registered trademark of Blue Planet Run Foundation.