For 5th year, Little Rock woman gives away free water outside home

Andrea Cordell has been giving away free water from her front yard at Cantrell Road and Kavanaugh Boulevard for the past five years.
Andrea Cordell has been giving away free water from her front yard at Cantrell Road and Kavanaugh Boulevard for the past five years.

When summer brings heat and humidity, a sign appears at the intersection of Cantrell Road and Kavanaugh Boulevard in Little Rock.

The sign carries a simple and refreshing message for those who pass by: "free water." True to its words, the sign stands above a plastic red-and-black cooler stocked with water bottles.

The cooler sits outside Andrea Cordell's home, a house with a white trim and a light purple exterior, decorated with American flags that hang from the white porch fence.

Cordell has been putting water outside her Forest Park home since the summer of 2012.

"It just seemed like a good thing to do," she said.

Cordell, a mother of seven, said the small service project was originally a way to teach her children that little gestures can have an impact on a community.

The inspiration for the free water came years ago when Cordell found a man sitting on her steps, exhausted from the heat.

"He just said he needed to rest," she said.

Cordell said she didn't want him to pass out from the heat, so she gave him some water. The experience stayed in the back of her mind, she said, and later inspired her to start the putting free water bottles outside her home.

Although she rarely sees anybody take the water, Cordell said people usually take two to three bottles on a normal day, and six to seven bottles on hot days.

And the community hasn't taken the water for granted. Since starting the project, Cordell said she has received cookies outside her door, money in the water cooler and random thank-you notes.

One time, Cordell said, a man driving a car outside her house thanked her for providing the free water -- something he took advantage of when he was on foot and did not have a vehicle.

Alicia McDonald, Cordell's neighbor, said she has seen people take advantage of the free water over the years. One time, McDonald said she even saw a man jump out of his car to grab a bottle of water while waiting for a red light at the intersection.

McDonald, a Little Rock native, said the free water is a kind gesture to the community and its visitors.

"It just shows that someone is thoughtful enough," McDonald said. "It's a show of Southern hospitality."

Cordell said providing the free water doesn't come without its challenges.

Every summer, the cooler is stolen about three or four times, she said. Some people have suggested chaining the cooler down, but she said that would go against the inspiration behind the small project.

"It's an act of faith," Cordell said.

Last year, when another cooler was stolen from her lawn, Cordell said somebody quickly donated a cooler along with a pack of water.

Despite the thefts, Cordell has no plans to stop.

"It really is a neighborhood thing," she said.

Metro on 07/25/2016

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