Students of Servite High School in Anaheim will be bringing clean drinking water to an impoverished region of Uganda after exceeding their fundraising goals for the nonprofit Wells for Life. 

The students raised nearing $9,000 by holding a 5K Wells for Life Run 4 Water fundraiser at Laguna Niguel Regional Park on May 15. Other Catholic schools in Orange County participated in the race, which included Rosary Academy, Santa Margarita High School and JSerra High School.

Servite student Erick Garcia finished second place in the 5K run. Servite raised the most money, winning first place out of 30 competing schools.

The soon-to-be constructed well will be located near Servite missions in Uganda. The well will be named after Father Ed Penonzek, OSM, a Servite friar who died in 2013 who had a deep passion for the Servite missions in Africa.

The well will also benefit members of the order who live near the community where it will be built, giving special significance to the gift.

Servite will give the excess monies raised to Rosary High School, to assist them in funding an additional new well of their own.