Today was the first day I was able to speak with Henry on his cell phone. I can tell by the tone in his voice he is enjoying the climb.
He said they arrived in Karanga camp and are spending two nights. They had an easy day today and hiked to 14,500 ft. Then they returned to 13,200 ft. They did this to aclimatize to themselves. Everyone is feeling good. One person has a few headaches but nothing serious.
Tomorrow they go to Barafu which is not far, about a 4 hour climb. In the afternoon they will do an another climb to aclimitize and return to Barafu.
We did it!
On the Roof of Africa
Who are we & why did we do this?
- The Kili Team
- We are three couples living in Nova Scotia who were intrigued by the challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. We have all been blessed to live in Canada with good health and rewarding careers. However, all of us know of a family member or friend that has been touched in some way by mental illness. We decided to dedicate our climb to rasing money for Laing House. We are proud to say that we achieved all of our goals. We returned home safely; we raised over $117,000 for Laing House, almost twice our original goal; and we all summitted on Sept 18. The trip was certainly a challenge but many of us say it was the trip of a lifetime in spite of the fact that all of us have travelled extensively. However, the last word belongs to the most famous African, Nelson Mandela, who said, "After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb".
About Laing House
Laing House is a support centre for youth living with mental illness. It is a youth-driven and community-based organization where young people between 16 and 30 years of age, who are living with a mental illness, can get the support they need to rebuild their lives. Since opening in 2001, Laing House has assisted over 300 youth from across the Maritimes. There are currently 100 members of Laing House. Programs, including employment, healthy living, education, and peer and family support, help youth recognize and develop their own strengths, talents and resources in a welcoming, respectful and collaborative environment. Laing House is the first of its kind in Canada.
The supportive environment of Laing House allows youth and staff to build meaningful relationships. They work together to create personal development, community education, and advocacy programs. These experiences and opportunities provide youth with support and resources to further educational and vocational paths. They develop the life skills needed to form relationships, secure safe housing, and experience hope for their futures. A variety of unique programs and services are employed to attain these goals. Laing House looks forward to a day where the stigma surrounding mental illness has dissipated and there is equal opportunity for all.
The supportive environment of Laing House allows youth and staff to build meaningful relationships. They work together to create personal development, community education, and advocacy programs. These experiences and opportunities provide youth with support and resources to further educational and vocational paths. They develop the life skills needed to form relationships, secure safe housing, and experience hope for their futures. A variety of unique programs and services are employed to attain these goals. Laing House looks forward to a day where the stigma surrounding mental illness has dissipated and there is equal opportunity for all.
Thank you to all Laing House supporters!
The support that Laing House has received as a result of this climb has been fantastic. We wish to express our gratitude to all of you. Like all charities, Laing House feels the impact of the recession. The extra funds raised as a result of this climb will provide Laing House with the resources to continue to serve young people struggling with mental health issues. Thank you!
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Glad to see everything going well and that you are (or at least seem to be) having fun, good luck over the next couple of days as you push for the top. Hope it is clear and you can enjoy the view. David and Nina.
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing journey! Good luck with the final push to the summit. Can't wait to see more photos. Natalie (Shannon)
ReplyDeleteThey all made it to the summit! My parents (Paula and David) called at 730 AM to report that all six made it!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on taking the maple leaf to the top of Africa. Great achievement both personally and for Laing House. D+N
ReplyDeleteYOU MADE IT!! Everyone here at Laing House is celebrating in your honour!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Paula and David on reaching the summit, achieving your fund raising goal and deleting an item from "The Bucket list". We are both very proud of you both.
ReplyDeleteWith Admiration,
Susan & David