WorldWide Drilling Resource

by Tim Rasmussen Jay Gallagher just returned from a visit to Guatemala as a volunteer for Water For Life. He came down for about three weeks and stayed very busy with many jobs which needed doing at the shop and in the field. Jay comes from Belle, Missouri, where he operates Custom Pump & Well Drilling. He became interested in Water For Life as a result of an online forum, reading about us in this publication, and visiting our booth at Groundwater Week conventions. This was his third trip as one of our vol- unteers. Each visit has been a little bit longer as he has found more and more things where his talents can be useful. Jay is an excellent detail man and has done a lot of pump repair and refurbishment in villages where the pumps have failed or are failing. He maintains a log of what he has done and helps us keep track of jobs and sites which need attention. This is a never-ending task as we drill more wells. We now are at 113. I asked Jay for some observations from this year ’s season. He said there were lots of unex- pected repairs and problems, but one by one, each one was dealt with and the whole project moved for- ward. Some unusual things happened. He blew out a tire on one of the Ford trucks and it caught fire, but it happened right in front of a big truck shop where help was available. The tire blew and caught fire because a brake stayed engaged. Jay got the truck towed. A few hours and a new brake job later, he was back on the road again. He met some nice folks in Rio Dulce who operate Casa Guatemala, a school for kids with about 200-300 people living on-site. The school is on the river and can be reached only by boat. They do not have grid power and can use a generator for only about 90 minutes each day. All the rest of their power is solar. Jay was able to survey their water system, give them some advice, and left them with another pump to hold in reserve for future problems. Water For Life made good friends in Rio Dulce. Through Jay, Greg Evans of Lefty’s Pump & Drilling Co. of Crane, Missouri, had donated a used pump hoist. During his spare time, Jay managed to get the hoist installed on the Ford truck and started sorting out the hydraulic lines. This second pump service truck will be a real blessing to us. The other truck is a cabover Isuzu. It is good for highway use, but for many of the roads, it is simply not suitable. Jay is planning on coming again next year and perhaps will extend the time he is with us. He sees the need and enjoys making a difference in the lives of people who otherwise would not have access to clean water. He extends the invitation to others to come and help. There is a lot to do, the food is good, the people are friendly, the work is hard, but it is very rewarding. If you would like to help, call Gary Bartholomew at 509-466-5075 or 509-939-1941 Tim michele@ worldwidedrillingresource.com September 20-21, 2018 The Bertram Inn & Conference Center Aurora, Ohio For more information call 877-632-4748 or visit www.nda4u.com Save the Date 2018 NDA Convention Exhibitor & Sponsor Opportunities are Available! President’s Dinner with Awards and Entertainment • Golf Outing • Presentations for CE Credits • Outdoor Static Displays • And More. WTR Smeal pump hoist originally mounted on a 1965 Chevy (above); and the successful transfer onto the Ford 4x4 truck (below). 46 JULY 2018 WorldWide Drilling Resource ®