Annual event has raised $230,000 to date.?

Grundfos held its fifth annual Walk for Water charitable benefit in Kansas City, Mo., and Aurora, Ill., raising more than $35,000 for global water crisis relief.

Roughly 230 Grundfos employees and local participants joined the two events, designed to build awareness about the global water crisis and raise funds for safe, sustainable water solutions in developing countries.

In partnership with Water Missions International, the non-competitive, educational event is meant to illustrate the plight of people in developing countries who sometimes walk for miles each day to obtain water, which is often from contaminated sources. Halfway through the 3.5-mile walk, participants filled three-gallon buckets with water, simulating the literal burden of life in a developing nation.

Grundfos first held the event in 2012, and to date has raised more than $230,000 for Water Missions International, which has provided thousands of people with daily access to safe water in Haiti and Uganda.

“Walk for Water sheds light on the daily effort billions of people make around the globe just to get water and makes us appreciate our privilege,” said Bill Crooks, customer service director at Grundfos. “We’re so grateful for the opportunity to raise awareness of this crisis and generate funds for its alleviation."