Waynesburg University will host guest speaker Doc Hendley Tuesday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m. in Roberts Chapel. Admission is free, and the public is cordially invited to attend.
Hendley is the founder and president of Wine To Water, a non-profit organization that strives to provide clean water for people in need around the world. In 2009, he was selected as one of the Top Ten CNN Heroes for that year, chosen by a panel of judges including General Colin Powell, Whoopi Goldberg, Ted Turner and Sir Elton John.
Nearly 663 million people around the world lack access to clean water and over 2.4 billion people lack access to proper sanitation. More children die from water-related illnesses than AIDS, malaria and measles combined. After learning about the water and sanitation crisis in 2003, Hendley was moved to start a non-profit that would fight this epidemic.
He first envisioned the concept of Wine To Water while bartending and playing music in nightclubs in Raleigh, North Carolina. With the money raised, Hendley traveled to Darfur, Sudan, in 2004 and began installing water systems for victims of government-supported genocide.
In 2012, he published “Wine to Water: How One Man Saved Himself While Trying to Save the World.” The captivating story of an ordinary man changing the world through clean water, the book has become the foundation of college courses at several universities across the country, including Waynesburg University. All first year students at Waynesburg are required to read the book as part of the University’s Fiat Lux program.
“Doc’s story and his work exemplify the mission of Waynesburg University, connecting faith, learning and serving,” said Genna Steele, academic projects & grants coordinator at Waynesburg University. “It is with great excitement that we host him on our campus.”
Thousands have been inspired by Hendley’s story, and Wine To Water has grown from one man's mission into a global movement for clean water. Wine To Water has reached more than 500,000 people and worked in 25 countries.
“Hendley lives our mission every day,” said Marie Leichliter Krause, assistant provost at Waynesburg University. “Wine to Water is an organization that makes connections between faith, learning and serving to transform the community and the world. Hendley found his calling in living a life of leadership and purpose for the glory of God. I look forward to welcoming him to Waynesburg University and hearing more of his story.”
A book signing will be held in the Marsh Center, located in the lower level of Roberts Chapel, following the lecture. Books and t-shirts will be available for purchase during the book signing.
Hendley’s lecture is presented as part of the Glenn A. and Jane L. Crosby Humanities Lecture Series and a NetVUE Program Development Grant.
The Lectureship, funded by 1950 Magna Cum Laude graduates of Waynesburg University, Glenn A. and Jane Lichtenfels Crosby, brings to the University visiting scholars who are distinguished in their disciplines. NetVUE Program Development Grants are administered by The Council of Independent Colleges with generous support from Lilly Endowment, Inc.
Founded in 1849 by the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Waynesburg University is located on a traditional campus in the hills of southwestern Pennsylvania, with three additional sites located in the Pittsburgh region. The University is one of only 21 Bonner Scholar schools in the country, offering local, regional and international opportunities to touch the lives of others through service.
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Ashley Wise, Director of University Relations
724-852-7675 or awise@waynesburg.edu
