Wow - I totally overlooked this one! Better late than never (-a.t.)
Everest for Kids
Rick Friesen (Karl's dad!) has been involved in an incredible adventure. Here are two emails (one old/before, one recent/after) regarding his experience. Sorry for the delay in putting this one on EnjoyLife!
From: Rick Friesen [ ]
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 10:46 PM
To: 'Rick Friesen'
Subject: Everest for Kids
March 13, 2007
Dear Friends and Family;
No,
your eyes are not deceiving you.
In just 2 weeks, on March 30th, I am leaving with a team of 4 other trekkers to take part in a challenging 23-day trek of Mt. Everest; not to the summit of 8848m, but rather to Everest Base Camp (EBC) located at an elevation of some 5500m.
I started my preparation and training for the trek to EBC
about a year ago by either walking to or from work 12 km, twice a week. In the
fall of 2006 I moved my training indoors at Apollo on a stationery bike for an
hour workout twice a week. This past January I increased my training by adding
a workout at Rotary Stadium twice a week where I run up, part way across and
down the stadium bleachers/stands 40 times (equivalent to a 100-storey
building), as well, on weekends I hike, ski or walk. Am I ready? I believe and
would like to think that I am. It’s amazing to me that today I can keep up
with the young people in the cycle class and that my legs are not burning as I
make the last run after skiing all day.
Having already paid all of my own expenses, I am partnering with BCMB Camp Ministries to help raise funds to sponsor children so that they can have a summer camp experience when their parents are not financially able to afford it. My connection to camp began as a child; as a family we went along with my parents when they participated in workbees and spent time cooking at camp. Through my elementary years I went as a camper. Since our boys were 15 years of age they all have spent time working the summer at a number of different camps in BC and in Comfort, Texas. Sandy and I have volunteered at Pines Bible Camp in Grand Forks where Sandy’s brother, Gene, is the Executive Director and at Gardom Lake Bible Camp in Enderby, where our son Ryan is the Program Director. I was one of the first to join the EverestforKids team. Our strong connection to the camps has made this fundraiser a natural fit for me and Sandy.
Would
you partner with me by making a special gift towards EverestforKids? Your gift
may be a lump sum donation or a pledge based on elevation gained; cheques
should be made payable to “BCMB” and designated “Everest – Rick Friesen”. You
may mail your donation to me at
or
directly to BCMB Ministries, #101-32310 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford, BC V2T
1X1. Please be sure to include a note if the mailing address on your cheque is
not current and designate it “Everest – Rick Friesen”. All donations are
receipted for tax purposes.
To
learn more about this exciting opportunity visit
www.EverestforKids.com. If you
would like to receive trek updates or if you have any questions, please reply
to this email or call us at (604) 852-8877. I look forward to hearing from
you.
Thanks to everyone that has already partnered with me.
Rick
Fri, 15 Jun 2007
My Everest For Kids photos are at the following link
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rickf55/sets
Select a “set” 1 thru 9 and then “view as slideshow”; the photos are in order 1 thru 9 not as they are listed on the blog.
Thanks to everyone for your encouragement and support of “Everest For Kids”; our team raised $64,000 for BC MB Camps.
The trek to Gokyo Ri and base camp was a lot harder, more exciting, more beautiful, more adventurous (did I say harder already) than I expected. The first week of trekking had shorter days as we were acclimatizing but by the second week we had a few 12 hour days on the trail (did I say harder already). It was great!
Thanks again, Rick