Taylor Allderdice Student Group Raises $15,000 to Combat Climate Change by Plugging Orphaned Oil Wells
Well Done Foundation and Reimer Family Climate Crisis Fund pledge to match Dice Well Done Club's donation
PITTSBURGH, May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A group of students at Taylor Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh, PA, raised more than $15,000 to support plugging an orphaned oil well in Erie, PA, through the Dice Well Done Club.
"Everyone my age wants to fight climate change but doesn't know how to do it. I started the Dice Well Done Club because it was a clear opportunity to help a community that's not too far away," said Lucy Hurowitz, 10th grade, Founder & President of the Dice Well Done Club.
Hurowitz established the Dice Well Done Club in partnership with fellow 10th graders Seena Teshome, Jordan Block and Olivia Boyle. They met their goal of raising $5,000 in May, and that donation will be matched by both the Well Done Foundation (WDF) and the Reimer Family Climate Crisis Fund, for a total of $15,000 raised.
It is estimated that there are more than 2.5 million abandoned oil wells in the US. Most of these wells are leaking methane, pose a threat to water supplies, and are a danger to communities. Pennsylvania is home to the second most orphaned wells nationwide, and Governor Josh Shapiro has committed to plugging as many wells as possible in the shortest possible time during his administration.
"When we heard about a school in North Carolina raising funds for the Well Done Foundation and plugging a well in their community, we wanted to do something to support Pennsylvania", said Jordan Block, social media manager for the Dice Well Done Club.
The students raised the funds in partnership with the Well Done Foundation, which was founded in 2019 by Curtis Shuck as a collaborative approach to address the orphaned well program. Since 2019, WDF has plugged 55 orphan oil and gas wells in several states. The Allderdice students' efforts focused on a well in Erie, which is being plugged this month.
"We have been so impressed with Dice Well Done's commitment to being part of the solution to this global crisis. They have truly taken important steps to support and heal their community," said Shuck.
The club raised the money through a series of fundraisers, including online appeals, movie days in the school's auditorium, and selling water ice in the school's courtyard during lunch.
"One of the best parts of this club is that everyone in our school can be a part of it, just by buying a movie ticket or a water ice," said Boyle.
The leadership and faculty of Allderdice were supportive of the project throughout the year. "We are really grateful to our supporting teacher, Lori Gaido and our principal, Dr. McCoy for helping us make this happen," said Teshome.
"The Dice Well Done Club may be young, but their passion and commitment to the planet is powerful. Together they are endeavoring to turn their dreams of a healthier earth into reality, one abandoned oil well and one dollar at a time," said Gaido.
The Dice Well Done Club will set a new goal in the 2025-2026 school year. To donate, visit https://donorbox.org/taylor-alderdice-high-school-well-done-club. To learn more about the Well Done Foundation, visit https://welldonefoundation.org.
Contact: Becca Hurowitz, Co-Founder & CEO, Givver
[email protected]; (202) 641-8092
SOURCE Well Done Foundation
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