Ignited Discovery Hosts 'Rock the Boat' Event

ARLINGTON, Virginia, September 15, 2007 – An eclectic group of 140 young professionals, dressed in everything from tuxedos to plaid jackets, gathered on the Potomac waterfront September 15 to raise money for the construction of wells in Uganda.

The event, Rock the Boat DC, was sponsored by local electronic discovery provider, Ignited Discovery, supporting the Los Angeles based charity Drop in the Bucket (www.dropinthebucket.org). Aboard the Harbour Belle, which embarked on a cruise of the Potomac River around midnight, attendees mixed and mingled until 2:30 a.m. The objective was to raise awareness and funding for Drop in the Bucket’s mission, “to provide a permanent source of uncontaminated water by constructing wells in villages and schools throughout Africa.”

Event organizers, Ravi D’Souza, of UMD’s national leadership program, and Russ Kaulback, of Ignited, considered Rock the Boat DC an opportunity to integrate charity with entertainment. Raising $7,000 for Drop in the Bucket in one night, D’Souza and Kaulback were thrilled to surpass their funding goal. “With the amount of generosity everyone showed, Drop in the Bucket is now able to build two wells in Uganda. We had expected to raise enough for just one well, so this is inspiring for us,” Kaulback said. The ticket price included food, drinks, music by DJ Steve Billionaire, and a raffle for prizes such as restaurant gift certificates and tickets to sporting events. D’Souza and Kaulback worked hard to get local business to contribute items for the raffle, as well as food and beverages. “The support we got from 16 sponsors, including companies like Trader Joe’s, XM Radio, and the National Beer Wholesalers Association was extremely generous and really made this occasion possible. Ultimately, the outcome of the event is proof that everyone can make a difference,” D’Souza said.

As for the partygoers, the idea of celebrating a good cause was a success.

“When I got an invitation to this event, I thought it was genius. Who wouldn’t want to contribute to this organization, with the added bonus of seeing old friends and making new ones?” Sara Spears, a finance officer for an international non-profit, said.

Will D’Souza and Kaulback continue to organize events and raise money for their favorite charity? According to D’Souza, “This was just a drop in the bucket.”

Of the 680 million people who live in Sub-Saharan Africa, approximately one half do not have access to a disease and parasite-free water source. That number is almost equal to the entire population of the United States. Drop in the Bucket is a grassroots non-profit organization dedicated to combating this deadly water crisis. For more information please visit www.dropinthebucket.org .

Press Contacts:

Ignited Discovery
Russ Kaulback
703.807.0710 x 118
rkaulback@igniteddiscovery.com

Rock the Boat DC
Ravi D'Souza
301.266.2468
ravi@rocktheboatdc.com