Climb for Hospice

On January 1st, 2010 I started my journey with this blog entry:

I am going to climb a mountain. Well, I’m going to walk up one, anyway.

I haven’t done anything like this before. In fact, I can probably count the number of times I’ve gone hiking, and I know I haven’t been camping more than half a dozen times. Don’t get me wrong, I know what I’m getting into. I’ve watched videos about climbing this mountain. I’ve submitted questions about the climbing of this mountain to semi-popular websites. I have bought (although not yet read) books about this mountain. I feel about as prepared as someone who listens to a song on the radio and then starts hiring roadies to prepare for a world tour.

In August of 2010, I am going to fly to Tanzania, Africa and climb Mount Kilimanjaro as a way to raise money for the Delta Hospice. The Hospice holds a very special place in my heart, and it is my absolute honour to take on this journey to fund raise on their behalf. But this will be no simple journey. Oh no, this will be a flat-out epic.

Aside from the parent-induced membership in Brownies and Girl Guides, I have managed to avoid the outdoors quite sufficiently for about 30 years. I am the anti-camper. I do not like being cold. The sound of rain drops falling on a tent is nearly trauma-inducing. I would rather be in prison than a sleeping bag. (Some of you more astute readers may be able to pick up the subtle hints I am dropping in regards to my views on outdoor life). To climb Mount Kilimanjaro means that I will need to… oh, man… camp for 10 days.

And so, purely for your entertainment, I am going to allow you into my world as I train for this adventure. For the next seven months, I will allow parts of my life to become an open book, and permit you to laugh, cry and shake your head in total disbelief as I attempt to turn myself from Robyn the Indoor Princess, into Robyn the Sobbing Mess of Outdoorsy Semi-Competence.

And so it begins…

Bring it on, Kilimanjaro!

And today, on August 12th, 2010, I am boarding that flight to Tanzania, Africa knowing that $10,000 $11, 850 has been raised (so far!) for the Delta Hospice Society.

I hiked once, twice, three times and four, five times, six times, and seven

I trained

I attempted to camp

I ate, ate, ate, and ate, and ate, ate, and happily ate, and ate, and ate, shamefully ate, ate, ate and attempted to explain sarcasm, ate, and ate, and ate, and tried to avoid eating, and thought about what to eat, and ate.

I fundraised, and had help with fundraising

I was sponsored and sponsored again

I was humbled

I remembered.

This has been an incredible journey on the way to having an incredible journey. I learned a lot about myself in these past eight months, and I learned a great deal about the power of human nature and the strength of community kindness. This whole experience has left me awed. And I am grateful for it. Thank you for letting me share it all with you. This became such a personal blog, and I’ve met some very wonderful people because of it.

And so today, I leave this blog in the capable hands of Chris, who will update it as often as he hears from me. I’m not sure how or when I’ll be able to make contact, but please know that it’s a priority for me to be able to keep you posted.

I want to thank you all so very, very much for following me and for reading this blog. It means more to me than I could ever express to know that I’m carrying your support and kindness in my heart as I scale that mountain.

And guess what?

I’m crying.

And so it begins…

Bring it on, Kilimanjaro!

xoxo

Posters? Check.

Raffle prizes? Check.

Raffle tickets? Check.

Beer? Check.

Wine? Check?

Snacks? Check.

Decorations? Check.

Slideshow? Check.

Drummer? Check.

DJ? Check.

Nerves? Check.

Anxiety? Check.

Fear? Check.

Hope? Check.

WELCOME TO THE KILI GALA!!

So the other day I was walking my dogs around town, and decided to take a new route of sorts. I cut through Memorial Park and I saw a poster advertising a slideshow and talk by El Camino Voluntours owner/operator Chris Bruckshaw. Now, I had seen an article in The Delta Optimist about Chris, and was intrigued by what he was doing.

So, I went to the slideshow presentation.

El Camino is pretty damn cool, if you ask me. A socially aware, big-hearted, culturally significant organization that works at creating vacations with impact. I was very impressed! As soon as Chris started talking about who El Camino is and what they do, I knew that I would be booking a trip with them next year. No doubt in my mind that this is what I want to do.

Basically it’s this: you go with El Camino to Mexico, Nicaragua, or Guatemala and do volunteer work there either building a home for a family, creating water catchment systems, helping build a radio station, or taking part in wildlife conservation. 60% of your trip is volunteer – hard work that makes a huge difference. The other 40% is fun – Chris has set up some great excursions to help you relax and be a total goofball after your volunteering. This is obviously a well-thought-out, creative and thorough organization who have done their research.

I have been looking for something like this for a long time, but haven’t ever found an organization that wasn’t religion-based, or expecting me to pay $3000 for the chance to volunteer… or both.

So… I have asked Chris to come and set up a booth at the Kili Gala and chat with people who may have the same thoughts as I do: I want to go and volunteer in another country, but I’m not a doctor, or a nurse (like the AWESOME Haiti-visiting Melissa Glen!), or have a bazgillion dollars to spend. I know there are people out there like this. I’m right, aren’t I?

How cool it’s going to be to combine travel with a social conscience. I can’t wait for next year!

But first, I’ve got a mountain to climb…

Only one week to go until the Kili Gala!

And then the real worrying begins…

I’ve been fretting and stressing about this Kili Gala since I first decided to actually throw it. I’m anxious, I’m nervous, my face has broken out, I’m jittery, on-edge, and concerned. As has been well documented here, I am NOT an event planner by any stretch of the imagination. It freaks me out! So, as I plan this mondo gala, I’m throwing all my fears and anxieties into it with full force.

How very, very convenient.

Anyone else out there know exactly what’s going to happen as soon as the Gala is over?

That’s right, I’ll be able to focus my energy on stressing about the actual climb. Until now, I’ve been able to hide behind the Kili Gala in order to avoid thinking about the actual climbing of Mt. Kilimanjaro. But once the music stops, the hall is cleaned up, and the happy raffle draw winners have danced home… well… it’s just me, the mountain and my brain.

It’s not going to be pretty.

SO! Until then, let me keep amusing you with tales of woe and strife surrounding this most epic of fundraising events – the Kili Gala. And since I haven’t revealed a raffle prize in a while, I think I’ll toss a whopper your way today…

Big Sky Golf and Country Club in Pemberton, BC has kindly, generously, fabulously donated a round of golf for two to the Kili Gala Raffle Draw. Let’s see, what does Golf Digest say about Big Sky… “4 1/2 stars!”  and… “One of the Top Ten courses in Canada!”. NICE! What about Fairways an Greens Magazine? …”Top 5 in the west (in North America)“. Not too shabby there, either! “BC Facility of the Year” says the BCPGA…

You getting the picture here? This course kicks serious butt. Wow. What a prize! I mean, it doesn’t get any better than th… what’s that? It DOES get better?!

That’s right, as a way to make this raffle draw prize stuffed incredibly full of awesome-o-rama chunks, The Pemberton Valley Lodge has stepped in and donated one free night’s stay at their beautiful resort to go along with the golf pass at Big Sky.

This raffle prize alone is worth approximately $400*, and you could have it for the price of admission and ONE raffle ticket: $22.  ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME!? (of course, buying just ONE raffle ticket for this seems sort of silly, doesn’t it?)

Come on out to The Kili Gala and throw a handful of raffle tickets into the box for the Big Sky/Pemberton Lodge prize. Maybe it’s something you want to win for yourself, maybe it’s something you’d love to be able to give to a spouse/friend/parent/employee of the month… whatever! It’s all yours, baby!

Can’t wait to see you there!  xo

*Just a wee reminder (that I’m sure you wise, intelligent, common-sense-filled people know): NONE of the raffle draw prizes at the Kili Gala can be redeemed for cash, mkay?

So, Ali and I were sitting around the other day putting together packages of Raffle Prizes for the Kili Gala. There has been an incredible amount of items donated from businesses local and beyond. After all was said and done, Ali and I were able to combine some great things and created a total of 28 different raffle prizes to be won. The  best part was naming them all…

The Fit For a Bit package (A gift basket from Parsley Sage & Thyme – with cleanse kit, and a personal training session with Cara!)

The Leave Me Alone package (a lovely basket of all things girly and bathtime-esque, complete with a bottle of wine!)

The Wakey-Wakey package (a pound of Hazelmere coffee and a month of Bootcamp!)

The Boys Night Out package (4 Whitecaps Soccer tickets AND a $25 gift certificate to The Landing!)

We’re having way too much fun now!

So today I am off to apply for the temporary liquor license, and I’ll probably be picking up some beer and wine, as well. I had a VERY generous donation of 4 dozen Granville Island beer, so that really helps to keep costs down AND appease the beer-snob masses.

I need to make a Costco run at some point, too. We can’t have a Gala without snacks now, can we?! Mmmm… snaaaaacks.

Drinking, dancing, snacking! Raffle prizes and a 50/50 draw! Entertainment-laden fundraising at its best, and all in the heart of little ol’ Ladner!  Wheee!

SO. Get your friends, your dancing shoes, your twoonies, and your designated drivers ready, because in 17 days, we’ve got a party going on!!

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I love this community.

The support I’ve received around doing this adventure has been incredible. I honestly wasn’t expecting the level of generosity that I’ve been so fortunate to experience.

Lately I’ve been finding that when I walk into an establishment (in the hopes of being brave enough to ask for a donation), I begin my little spiel about the climb, and something extraordinary happens. Right after I say “I’m climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise money for the Delta Hospice…” the person will usually say “Oh YOU’RE the one!”, or “I’ve seen your picture!”, and then they offer me a donation before I even have to ask.

And it’s not just business owners! Last night I was at The Snug wine lounge (which, by the way, is donating a $50 gift certificate!), and imbibed as I was, I loudly (and hopefully not too obnoxiously) proclaimed that I was climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. A very lovely Tsawwassenite said, “I’ve seen your picture!”, then handed me $5 as a donation, and wrote down her name and number as she believed her employer may be able to assist, as well.

Just *poof* like that. Amazing.

And I really, really have to thank Jessica Kerr and the Delta Optimist for being the ones who are getting the word out so well. In fact, there’s another article about my climb and the Kili Gala in today’s Optimist!

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I was right – this adventure is going to change my life. It already has.

What a world we live in… What a community!

I have put the word out that I am looking for donations for raffle prizes and door prizes for the upcoming Kili Gala. As of this morning, I have over a DOZEN confirmed items for the draw. And man, are they COOL.

I have paintings from incredible artists, photos from local professional photographers, spa certificates, books, personal training classes, jewelry, fabulous coffee and an incredible DVD by an uber-talented director.

And much more to come. This is going to be such a great raffle draw – it’s going to be really hard for me not to try and win everything!

I’M SO EXCITED!!

Hey, remember this?:

My goal for this week: Secure a space and a date for the Kili Gala.

GOAL MET!!

The Kili Gala will be held at the Ladner Community Centre, and the city of Delta is generously allowing me to use the space for an incredibly reduced non-profit rate. They’re also sending me paperwork to apply for a grant to get even that cost reduced to NOTHING. Cross your fingers that there’s grant money left to be had!

The Kili Gala will be happening on Saturday, June 5th, starting at 7pm, and going until about midnight.

There will be door prizes, raffle draws, 50/50 tickets, dancing, drinks, a wee bit o’ food, and some fabulous entertainment.

Tickets are only $20 each, and ALL PROCEEDS go to The Delta Hospice and the Heart and Stroke Foundation. A dear friend of mine is climbing Kili with me, and she is doing it to raise money for the H&S Foundation, so we decided to split the proceeds from this event right down the middle. There will be donation boxes inside the venue if you would like to make a donation specifically to one of those two charities.

We all know that this is a night to make as much money as possible for charity, so come and enjoy yourself, knowing also that you’re doing a very, very wonderful thing. Bring your loonies and your twoonies for raffle tickets and the 50/50 draw!

Tickets will be available soon, and can be purchased at Open Space Yoga in Ladner, or by simply emailing me.

We’ve got a LOT of space in that ol’ Community Centre, so let’s fill it with as many people as we can – tell your friends, tell your family, tell your neighbours, co-workers, hairdressers, massage therapists – tell everyone!

We would love to see you there!

THE KILI GALA IS ON!!

Time ticks by, Kilimanjaro approaches…

So much to do, and I’m hoping I’ve left myself enough time to do it all in!

Buy gear, get donations, find auction items and door prizes, plan Kili Gala…

Training, camping, insurance, meds, transportation, Visas, book safari, research gorilla trek…

Time to set some non-fitness-related goals for myself, I think.

My goal for this week: Secure a space and a date for the Kili Gala.

Hey, check it out! I’m on the Ladner Business Association website!

LBA Home

Thanks to Kate and the LBA!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand… I have a meeting with a Vancouver restaurateur next week to discuss having a fund raising dinner at his fantastic (and so very appropriate) establishment.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand… I got my very first donation for the silent auction that will happen at the fund raising Kili Gala in May (more info to follow). This is so exciting!

If anyone is interested in donating items for the silent auction, please feel free to contact me at any time.

This is going to be so freakin’ cool!