Many people keep photos of family, friends, pets, and/or favorite locations on their phone.

When Adele Unger scrolls through her phone she smiles over photos of a well in Uganda — somewhere she and her husband Paul Shelley have yet to visit but a place where they have made quite an impression.

A very deep one ... 70 meters deep.

Unger has lived in Newtown since the mid-1970s, having moved here with her family when she was a child. Shelley is a native of New Zealand who was living in Bridgeport when he and his future wife met.

Unger and Shelley discovered each other online in April 2020. Then, they met in person just a week later and began dating — carefully, considering the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic that was spreading across the state and country at the time.

In October 2021, Shelley popped the question while the couple was on a trip in Belize. They were married on May 29 at Newtown Meeting House.

Since it was the second marriage for both, they were ready to celebrate their love and new union. But they also knew early on they did not need much in terms of wedding gifts.

So they decided to find a charity that they could ask their guests to donate to in lieu of providing them with gifts, although at the time, they did not know which cause they would support.

It was during a dinner out to celebrate their engagement that the couple stumbled upon the idea that led to the creation of The Shelley Well, a 70-meter well that was created in their name in Awidiang, a village in eastern Uganda.

Unger and Shelley were dining with friends and were introduced to Martha Hoffman, founder of Call To Care Uganda (CTCU).

Established in 2007, the mission of the Madison-based nonprofit is to deliver health, safety, and education to the people of Uganda through clean, accessible water.

“The thing that got us is how passionate she is,” Shelley said.

According to CTCU’s website, the process for creating a borehole well can vary by location, but generally costs around $7,500 and takes about two weeks to complete.

CTCU prefers borehole wells, as opposed to shallow wells, for their overall longevity. When maintained properly, borehole wells can last 50+ years.

Communities are involved in the process from start to finish, with well committees formed and elected community members trained to maintain the borehole for lasting success and sustainability.

The Shelley Well was fully funded on June 28, just shy of the one month anniversary of the Unger-Shelley wedding.

“They’ll bring in everything, and send photos to their supporters during all stages of these wells being built and then certified,” Shelley said.

“Martha would send photos,” Unger said, “which I shared to Facebook so that our family and friends could follow along with us.”

The Shelley Well, the couple was told, was the 68th well created through CTCU.

Drilling in Awidiang began July 19, Shelley said.

“They did pump testing and engraved the base on July 27, and the certification of water and celebration was August 5 and 6,” he said. “It was just a few weeks from digging, to certification, to celebrating.”

In addition to the well and training for its upkeep, CTCU provides “Jerry Cans” — sturdy pressed plastic containers, with handles, meant for liquids — to village households to carry water from their new community-owned well. The organization also distributes information to promote hygiene with the fresh water.

It may have been gifts for their wedding that Unger and Shelley received a few months ago, but the couple sees the donations from family and friends as a group effort that led to the creation of The Shelley Well.

“It wasn’t from us,” Unger said. “It was from everyone who loves us and celebrated us.”

Her husband continues to be so pleased with their decision.

“People loved the idea,” he said. “Those who couldn’t attend our wedding, they still donated toward the well.

“You’re giving people fresh water, and they don’t have to walk so far any more,” he added.

The newlyweds love traveling. They plan to do a lot more in years to come. Near the top of their list is a village in eastern Uganda.

“Eventually,” Unger said, “our goal is to go visit The Shelley Well.”

=====

Managing Editor Shannon Hicks can be reached at shannon@thebee.com.