The irony is not lost on Todd and Shari Nelson, nor their children. In fact, it’s part of the story.
The husband-and-wife team, high-school sweethearts, are the operators of what is perhaps the largest privately owned waterpark company in the world,
Kalahari Resorts & Conventions. The business boasts many of the largest waterparks in the United States, sprawling properties of water-filled family fun.
But the Kalahari moniker stems from a place that is largely devoid of dependable water, an African sub-desert. In native tongues, “Kalahari” can be translated to “the great thirst” or “waterless place.”
“I have this distinct memory of my parents opening a fancy encyclopedia sometime in the ’90s – everyone had a set of encyclopedias in the ’90s – and showing us the entry for the Kalahari Desert,” says Alissa Gander, Todd and Shari’s daughter, who’s now vice president of the Nelson Family Life foundation and an owner of Kalahari. “We talked about how ironic it was that we were building the country’s largest indoor waterpark named after one of the world’s largest deserts.”
By unofficial estimates, the company’s 173,000-square-foot resort in Sandusky is the fourth-largest indoor water park in the country, trailing the Nelsons’ Round Rock, Texas, spot and the Kalahari location in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains. To be sure, the Nelson family business depends on millions of gallons of water to fuel its fun-for-all operations.
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Today, 703 million people do not have access to clean water; that’s nearly 1 in 10 people alive or twice the population of the United States. (Photo/Kalahari Resorts)The Nelsons last November announced plans to commit $50 million toward a pledge to provide clean water to one million people in Africa in partnership with the international charity: water organization. Founded in 2006, charity: water is a non-profit that has raised more than $800 million for 137,000 water projects in 29 countries, bringing clean water to about 17 million people in Africa.
“Thanks to the support of millions of generous donors around the world, we have made amazing strides in providing the joy, health and stability that clean water allows,” says Scott Harrison, CEO and founder of charity: water. “However, there is still so much important work to do. Today, 703 million people do not have access to clean water; that’s nearly 1 in 10 people alive or twice the population of the United States.”
The Nelsons’ piece has been branded as the “Water Colors Life Project.” The $50 million pledge will be made up of private contributions from the Nelsons, fund-raising events, and on-site guest contributions. Just by visiting a resort, Kalahari guests will contribute to the cause.
The Water Colors Life Project is already underway. The overall goal is to drill at least once per month what are called “boreholes,” which allow for the extraction of water that’s not otherwise immediately accessible from the surface. Thus far, there are boreholes drilled, or being drilled, in Matopos Hills, Bulawayo, and Zimbabwe.
Each borehole results in a simple, manual pump of sorts that provides clean, fresh water to the area. They are sustainable long-term but can be costly to initiate, hence the need for investment.
The Nelsons have visited Africa numerous times over the years, and despite being first drawn in by the continent’s cultural art, they identified a major need in some locales.
“As we learned more about the African people and their day-to-day lives, we recognized that one of the major necessities of life, access to a clean and reliable water source, was a key item missing for many rural communities,” Gander says.
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The overall goal of Water Colors Life Project is to drill at least once per month what are called “boreholes,” which allow for the extraction of water that’s not otherwise immediately accessible from the surface. (Photo/Kalahari Resorts)The family’s relationship with charity:water began in 2019, when the Nelsons helped fund a clean water project for a school in Malawi, a landlocked nation in southeastern Africa. When they saw the impact that clean water can have on the day-to-day lives of locals, especially in rural areas, they wanted to do more.
In places such as Sandusky, where there is Lake Erie and waterparks, water is plentiful. It’s not the case across the globe.
“People who have always had access to clean, safe, easily accessible water absolutely take it for granted,” Gander says.
“Think of your home. How many water sources do you have between faucets, toilets, showers, hoses and water dispensers for drinking? Personally, after visiting African villages, this fact struck a chord with me. I speak with my kids about it often. How, within the first hour of our day, between showering, using the restroom, brushing our teeth and making oatmeal, we are so blessed to have clean water readily available for us.”
The Nelsons are no stranger to philanthropic efforts. The Nelson Family Foundation has, over the years, worked with partners in the communities they serve through education and health initiatives. The causes they contribute to are nearly countless. And they realize that global efforts are local to someone, somewhere.
“Our family has been incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to give back to our global community,” Gander says. “We believe that we all have a responsibility to create opportunities that improve the lives of those less fortunate, those who strive to be better and those caring individuals who share in our passion and dedication in making the world a better place.”