KADIE TAYLOR
THE OBSERVER
AUBURN — Ride for a cause, Water Cycle 2026, will be held on March 28 at 8 a.m. to raise money for Auburn University’s Engineers Without Borders projects in Bolivia, Guatemala and Tennessee.
“We are an organization that focuses on helping communities that lack proper water resources for irrigation or drinking,” said Event Organizer for Water Cycle 2026, Addison Faggard. “The students in our chapter raise all the necessary funds for these projects, and Water Cycle is our largest fundraiser each year… Water Cycle 2026 is a gravel bike race held at Pioneer Park at Lee County Historical Society. There are three route options: 60, 30 and 15 miles, all of which are mostly on gravel roads. Each registration ticket comes with full sag wagon support, lunch, beer, a t-shirt and a goodie bag. Water Cycle will include live music from a local band, yard games and exhibits from Lee County Historical Society. We encourage everyone to stay and hang out after their ride, listen to the music and play some games.”
Faggard said that through community support and partners, the Water Cycle is able to raise money to help those in need.
“This is our fifth Water Cycle, so to commemorate, the trophies for each race are made from solid aluminum,” she said. “Each year, Water Cycle receives over 100 participants from all across the country. Most of our fundraising comes from our corporate sponsors and registration costs. We typically raise around $25,000 from Water Cycle, and all of the money goes towards the implementation of our projects and helping our students design better systems.”
Funding passionate engineers working to make a difference in areas across the world, Faggard said Water Cycle 2026 supports the goals and mission of helping make water more accessible where it is needed.
“All of the profits from Water Cycle are dedicated to the three projects we have at Auburn Engineers Without Borders and the students who work on these projects,” she said. “Our organization plans this event to raise money for our communities in Bolivia, Guatemala and Tennessee, which all lack access to the proper water resources for drinking or irrigation. Auburn EWB also builds incredibly talented engineers, as we are one of the few organizations at Auburn that allows students to grow their engineering skills while they are students. Many of our participants are engineers or are passionate about our mission.”
Through her work with Engineers Without Borders and the Water Cycle event, Faggard said she has been impacted by the mission of the event and the participation from the community.
“My passion for the event comes from my love for the organization and my wish to give back to EWB,” she said. “EWB has changed my life and helped me grow into a better person and engineer, so I want to give back by helping our mission. My first Water Cycle was in 2024, and volunteering at the event and seeing how much it helped our cause made me want to see the other Water Cycle [events] succeed. EWB has given me amazing, life-long friends, incredible experiences and changed how I live my life. I have a deep love for this organization, so I want to help it succeed. We cannot do anything without fundraising — which is why I care about the success of Water Cycle.”
With many attendees returning to enjoy the Water Cycle event year after year, Faggard said she hopes community members will join in the fun.
“Many of our participants are repeat riders of Water Cycle,” she said. “Many of the riders have expressed love for the event because they can enjoy it and also be a part of a community with a common goal. It has also been expressed to us that Water Cycle is a fun, family-friendly event that brings the community together.”
For more information or to donate, visit support.ewb-usa.org/event/auburn-university-chapter-water-cycle-2026/e731340. For questions, contact Faggard at anf0052@auburn.edu.
Bike to give back at Water Cycle 2026
