Rally for Rangers - Mongolia 2018

Doing My Part as a Citizen of the World

I have been fortunate enough to experience many different places, people and cultures all over the world. The experiences, memories and stories I’ve collected along the way have made me feel more and more like a citizen of the world. Furthermore, these trips had me wondering how I could give back in some way.

At the recommendation of a close friend, I applied to volunteer for an organization called Rally for Rangers. Their mission is to support park rangers who have nearly impossible jobs in remote places with little to no resources. To my surprise (and elation), they accepted my application. The video above will give you some insight into the mission as well as highlights from  last year's trip.

Our efforts this year will aide the rangers of the Altai Tavan Bogd National Park in Mongolia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park, all 1.6 million acres, has just enough funding for 10 full-time rangers and is facing dire threats from poaching of endangered species, illegal logging and the defacing of centuries old petroglyphs. The rangers live on and patrol the farthest reaches of the park where most of the illegal activity occurs. They do it on horseback and camelback. In an effort to enhance their effectiveness, we will deliver a fleet of new Yamaha AG 200 motorcycles to the rangers. These bikes will become an integral tool to help the ranger fight the threats to the park.

I have commited to raise at least $8500 for the trip. This money will cover the following expenses:

~$4,000 for a new Yamaha AG 200 motorcycle

~$4,500 for inter-country flights, meals and donations to host families during the trip

Any remaining or additional funds will go directly to the non-profit Mongol Ecology Center based in Tucson, AZ.

I will be taking care of my travel expenses to/from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Any amount you donate to help this mission is appreciated. Here are the donation levels I created with the awards you'll recieve upon my return:

Ranger - $400+ - Your name on the bike I deliver to a ranger and all items below

Golden Eagle - $200 - $399 - Picture of team with the rangers, park map and patch

Snow Leopard - $76 - $199 - Picture of team with the rangers & commemorative patch

Argali - $1 - $75 - Picture of team with the rangers

Finally, I could not be doing this without the enduring support of my wife, Margie. Her long and successful career in nonprofits has shown me the importance of helping others and instilled in me a strong desire to follow her lead.

Thank you all,

Jeff