By Jim Dunne

Sun Contributor

NORWICH – A prominent Norwich family, a “Lost Boy,” the newly-minted country of South Sudan, and Rotary International have combined to write a story of saving lives by providing one critical ingredient – clean, pure water.

The present adult generation of the Turner family received the “Long Walk Award,” presented by Salva Dut, founder of Water for South Sudan, in Rochester on Sunday, October 8th. The 4 siblings, children of the late John B. and Carol Turner, spent their early years in Norwich, where their father and uncle owned and managed the Bennett-Ireland Co. After the company was sold in 1969, the family moved to Rochester, where John founded a new retail business which is still run by two of the children.

After retirement, John, who had been an active member of Rotary since 1955 where clean water was a funding priority, became involved in the fledgling Water for Sudan project, along with other fellow Rotarians.