Sears saluting Algonquin dad in Web contest

Scott Longmire of Algonquin gets choked up when he talks about the children across the world who get sick and die from drinking contaminated water.

Earlier this winter, the 35-year-old dad and his wife Christine snapped into action to do something about it.

During a two-week mission trip to Ghana in February, they built a well in a remote village and encouraged residents in another village to retrofit a local distillery so it could filter water for the people.

"We heard a way that we could help solve a very small piece within that problem and that's what we were doing over in West Africa," Longmire said, adding that he and his wife are planning a similar trip to northern India.

"The goal of the program is not to drill wells. It is to teach people how to drill wells, to enable and empower them to help themselves and to create jobs," he said.

Sears is recognizing Longmire for his work as part of its "Unsung Heroes: Dads Making a Difference" Internet contest.

In honor of Father's Day, Sears asked people to nominate dads who use their tools and talents to make the world a better place.

"Everyone knows that moms work the hardest, especially single moms, but finding dads that do great things - you don't see that every day," said Sears spokesman Ty Pennington, host of the television show "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."

Longmire is one of 10 finalists nationwide and has already won $3,000 in tools from Sears.

Internet voters are deciding who gets the grand prize - $30,000 for a project of the winner's dreams and a team of Sears builders to make it a reality.

"I love what they're doing; I love the whole concept and I'm all about giving back to the community," said Christine Longmire. "That's so what Scotty and I are about."

The trip to Ghana was inspired by a 2009 service the couple attended at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington.

At the service, they met a woman from Hydromissions International, a group that trains people to drill wells with hand tools, then sends them on projects.

The Longmires next enrolled in school for three weeks to learn about pumping, filtering and drilling wells.

"We've been aware of water issues for a long time, but speaking with ... Hydromissions, we wanted to do more than give money," Scott Longmire said.

If he wins, Longmire, who nominated himself, intends to use the money and manpower to renovate Camp Awana, a Wisconsin camp he attended as a child and supports to this day by volunteering as a cabin leader.

He says the camp is not only responsible for great memories and long-standing friendships, but also for establishing his moral code.

"The idea that I could contribute something to them on such a grand scale, it's just too big for me to think about," said Longmire who, along with his wife, is in the process of adopting 23-month-old son Demetrius.

You can vote for Longmire at searsunsungheroes.com through July 30.

The winner will be announced a week later.