Today, Kerry Greenwald and his wife, Becky Greenwald, had the opportunity to visit a local day shelter in Vancouver, Washington, called Friends of the Carpenter.

The shelter caters to those who may not have another place to be during the days, including Veterans. Those who come to Friends of the Carpenter are able to work and make items, and in return, they earn money that can then be spent on items, such as Nikes or even showers.

During their tour, the Greenwalds were given a small gadget that the folks at Friends of the Carpenters are currently in the process of making. Two small silver hooks on either end of a fishing line, along with a metal washer and a plastic tube with a dollop of wax are the pieces that create this gadget. At first, it may seem like a strange device- what might such a thing be used for?

Well, Friends of the Carpenters have been hard at work making these devices to send to countries without clean water. Using on of the silver hooks, a person is able to hang the rest of the device down into water that they are heating to create safe drinking water. This device lets the individual know when the water has reached a temperature that makes it safe to drink when the wax, that is at the top of the tube, melts and travels to the bottom.

Then, when they are done using the device at that time, they simply flip it over and use it again, allowing the wax to travel to the opposite end. The reusable device is fairly inexpensive to make, but will provide a lasting resource for those in countries without safe drinking water.

Beyond helping those in other countries, Friends of the Carpenters help our local community by giving individuals a safe place to make a difference. This is why we have been so excited to donate to the organization, because they not only help our community, but they help our fellow Veterans.

To see photos of the device, go to our Facebook page.