Veteran harness horseman Ken Wood, of Denton, Md., who for more than a decade has been drilling wells for the poor West African nation of Ghana and since expanded to Tanzania, has added pioneering of another humanitarian effort - bringing sight to natives.
With his son Ben, Ken Wood operates Lifetime Wells Drilling Company, a highly respected well-drilling company, located on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, not far from Delaware.
Wood is currently on his 46th trip to the West African where he has dug and installed more than 1,850 wells for giving drinking water to many thousands of native residents. Before Wood’ and his Lifetime Wells Drilling Company arrived, residents had to walk five or six miles to reach often contaminated water.
Prior to Woods arrival, about 15 per cent of the country’s children died from contaminated drinking water. Ghana has the highest rate of disease caused by contaminated drinking water. Wood’s on-going project costs $2,000 a day to keep the wells going.
Add Sight
Recently, Wood and a nearby Easton, Md. resident, Kevin White, who founded Global Vision 2020, have teamed to provide 150 special pairs of unique prescription eyeglasses to the needy, on his most recent trip to Ghana.
Wood and White, met at an environmental day event showcasing what people are doing to change the world. White’s innovative company has created a vision kit, which consists of his USee diagnostic tool, twin progressive lenses in a frame, worn like glasses. The wearer can dial up or down until there is a clear and comfortable image seen on a Snelling Tumbling E Eye Chart. The proper corrective glasses process can be done in less than fifteen minutes. The cost of each pair of glasses is approximately $4 each. Far lower than prescription glass in the U.S.A.
“The USee does not diagnose astigmatism or other vision issues, but we estimate 90 per cent of vision deficiencies are simple ones and can be resolved by the type of glasses Global Vision 2020 provides, reports White. Presently, the USee system has completed clinical trials for adults at Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University Hospital underway for children at the New England College of Optometry. The system is also being provided at other countries in Africa.
In addition, Wood has also teamed with Dave Powell, of Media, Pa., another well driller, whose non-profit project Wells For Relief, along with students from Villanova University, centered on Ghana .are using GPS to record Woods Lifetime Drilling Company’s locations in Ghana as it moves from village to village.
The Beginning
Wood’s humanitarian effort began In 2006 when Wood sold a used truck-mounted drilling rig to a church group whose mission project was Ghana. Wood then traveled to Ghana to provide training in operating the drilling equipment. Ten years later, in 2016, Wood sent a brand new rig to Africa that can accommodate the country’s rocky terrain.
The religious Woods with more than 40 year’s experience in well drilling felt he could help. That help has continued and heightened.
“When I consider that I can bring clean water to someone for the first time, at a cost of about $5 per person, it’s a no-brainer as to how I should spend my life. God sent us to these countries,” he said.
Sixty per cent of Wood’s humanitarian efforts have been bankrolled by Wood and his Lifetime Well Drilling Company and been aided by a number of Rotary clubs and has been recognized by AARP.
“While my bank account may no longer reflect it, I am a rich man for doing this rewarding work,” smiles Wood.
Wood’s humanitarian effort and financial support has been featured on the NBC Today Show with Jane Pauley. He has been honoured by the U.S. Harness Writers Association with its “Good Guy” award, Harness Horse International’s prestigious Dominic Frinzi Award. Among numerous organizations honouring Wood include a Lifetime Achievement Awards from the National Well Drillers Association and he was named to Maryland’s Senior Citizen Hall of Fame.
Horses Pay The Bills
In addition to his humanitarian efforts and his work schedule, Wood is also a popular and highly respected standardbred horseman who has raced for more than three decades at Middle Atlantic region harness racetracks. He has owned and formerly driven in races at Dover Downs, and at Maryland racetracks including ill-fated Baltimore and Freestate (formerly Laurel Raceway) and at Rosecroft raceways, as well as in New Jersey at the Meadowlands and at Harrah’s Philadelphia in Chester, Pa.
A significant portion of Wood’s African work comes from earnings from his racing stable headed by world champion trotter JL Cruze and Delaware trotting stallion Ander Bluestone.
Wood has no plans to retire from, either supporting his West African benevolent cause, or from his well drilling occupation, or from racing high quality harness horses. It keeps him young!
(Dover Downs)