Q+A with Doc Hendley
FOUNDER + PRESIDENT
What’s your story? How did you get your start?
When I was growing up, I was always hyper and didn’t necessarily follow all of the rules. I didn’t think someone like me would be able to make a difference in the world, I thought you had to be famous, or someone like Bill Gates to make an impact. I was working as a bartender, and I loved to serve people. It wasn’t until I went to visit my parents who had just recently retired to Boone at the time did the thought of Wine to Water come about. I had learned that there were 1 billion people out there that either did not have access to running water and/or had to walk miles just to get it, and I wanted to do something about it. Therefore, we started fundraisers to raise money for materials to build filters and dig wells so that we could provide clean water to these individuals.
Currently, there are 60 people who have come together as a community that makes up Wine to Water. Out of those 60 people, 40 live in those areas that are directly impacted by the lack of resources and clean water. We have reached over 1 million people since we started in February of 2004. We are just ordinary people making a difference, and that is what this world needs – more regular and imperfect people coming together as a community.
What are your goals for the future?
My goal is for us to continue doing the great work that we have done, and keep growing on it. We are now able to do more than just water filters and digging wells. We have been building water towers in these communities to run piped water to every hut and home in the village. We want to be able to continue these types of holistic water community projects. We also want to start building operations in the United States and helping in areas that don’t have safe water to drink such as Flint, MI, and other regions that have carcinogenic chemicals in the water.
Beyond that, we want to have a greater impact. We want people to have the opportunity to do this work alongside us, and go to places such as the Dominican Republic and build these filters and experience different cultures. You’ll discover that the things that make us different are the things that make us beautiful.
How has BCS helped you?
BCS just recently helped us by building 1,000 water filters, an impact that may seem small, but will actually help a family for the next 10 years. By building these filters, we are able to respond quickly to natural disasters and ship them easily to areas in need. We reached out to the CEO of a backpack company that made it possible for us to have filters that are small and durable enough to ship easily, however, this meant that the filters would come to us in pieces. By companies helping us build these filters, we can respond to these emergencies more efficiently.
BCS has also helped us by streamlining our bookkeeping and accounting. We used to do everything in-house, and with the help of BCS, we have saved money, and have more time and funds to put into Wine to Water. You all have allowed us to do more with less by doing what you all are great at.
Anything else you would like to share?
For 2022, we challenge everyone to turn off social media and the news and focus on being the light and serving one another. We would love for people to join us in going to these areas that we serve and help us build filters and enjoy experiencing other cultures. Let’s do what we were made to do, which is love and serve one another.
