Sonoma Senders Need Your Help

We are the Sonoma Senders, we are the first Climbing Team at Sonoma State University, we have competed representing SSU and we look forward to establishing ourselves as a powerhouse of climbing in our local community. Our team has tripled since we started the club in January 2022. We have a diverse group of climbers of all levels and we have cultivated a welcoming climbing culture on campus. I could speak wonderfully about our climbers for days, but to learn more about us and see the faces of Sonoma Senders, check out our instagram @sonoma_senders. We have weekly trainings at the SSU Climbing Wall in the Recreation Center, and once a month, we drive to Santa Rosa to Session Climbing to work on harder routes and have fun! We hold bi-weekly outdoor trips where our climbers can experience the diverse routes that the West Coast can offer us, as well as other local gems in Sonoma County and the surrounding areas. However, managing rides and gas expenses is tricky, but we have managed to hold over 8 trips per semester for groups between 15-25 climbers. This is where your support will benefit our climbers. As our team grows, our needs change and our equipment gets overused. Every climbing piece of equipment has a specific longevity, and as our team grows, all equipment wears off much faster. Carabiners tend to get sharp after the ropes pass through them dozens of times, and this can cause the ropes to break! Anchors lose their strength capacity and ropes have a limit of usage, and they cannot be restored or fixed, they simply become useless. With such a large group of climbers, we need funds to purchase new equipment, and with our students fees, we cannot afford everything we need. Our mission is to create a welcoming space for climbers of all levels, and provide them the tools and skills they need to work on the projects they wish to accomplish. We have a list of items we would like to purchase for the following semester. If you would like to get an item for us, please send us a message so we can arrange a pick up or drop off for Sonoma Senders. All monetary donations are welcome and any amount will support all of our climbers. If you can’t donate at this time but you are still interested in supporting the club, please share on every group you can, and contact us to see how else you can support the Sonoma Senders. Our goal for the Spring Semester is $1500, which will help our club get brand new equipment that all our climbers can us. Items we will be purchasing, or that you can donate, include but are not limited to: Ropes, harnesses, carabineers, belaying devices, quickdraws, anchors, slings, helmets, and personal safety anchors. Some of our climbers are new to the sport and also need shoes, if you have any climbing shoes in good condition you would like to donate to us, will be greatly appreciated! Additionally, we are hosting an End of the Year Party on December 9th at 7pm, it will take place at The Block, 20 Grey St, Petaluma, CA 94952 and we would love to see you there!