Alley's Aquathon raises $28,000

LOS ANGELES, July 30 (UPI) -- U.S. actress Kirstie Alley helped raise $28,000 through Aquathon, a 24-hour Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Ustream telethon for clean water in Africa.

Alley and charity organizer Steve Woods presided last weekend over the event, which organizers touted as the world's first 24-hour social media driven telethon.

The fundraiser was planned in support of PlayPumps International, a non-profit group that provides clean drinking water to children and communities in sub-Saharan African communities

Aquathon 2009 donations will go towards the purchase of two PlayPumps structures, which cost $14,000 each. Aquathon donations will continue to be accepted at http://aquathon2009.blogspot.com/ for the next several weeks, organizers said.

"I couldn't be happier that my cool peeps donated over $28,000 to benefit PlayPumps," Alley said in a statement Wednesday. "Because of them, thousands of lives will be saved and the quality of their lives will skyrocket. African children are smiling at us today. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!"