My best friend Sarah has spent years showing up for others – handing out harm reduction supplies, cooking meals during COVID, working as an EMT, and quietly helping neighbors whenever they need a hand. Now she needs us to show up for her.

"The first thing people say when they find out is 'Mongolia?!' and it's like, Yeah! Mongolia." Sarah says. "It's such an incredible opportunity, not only to teach younger environmentalists but also to just learn about the incredible and unique culture there."

This isn’t a luxury trip. This is a real need: Sarah has already been accepted into the Mongol Ecology Center’s Junior Ranger program. Her room, board, and camp duties are covered – but she cannot afford the travel costs and bills to make it there. She’s just $5,000 short of being able to go.

This is about more than one person traveling. It’s about building a bridge between communities – helping young Mongolian environmentalists learn from someone who has dedicated her life to service. When you give, you’re not paying for a plane ticket. You’re helping raise the next generation of earth protectors.

I’ll be honest: watching Sarah pack her gear with that quiet, excited focus – checking her teaching supplies, re-reading her itinerary – I felt my heart swell and break at the same time. She has given so much to so many. She just needs a little help to give this one last gift.

Think of someone in your life who always shows up. That’s Sarah. She’s the friend who brings laughter when you’re sick, the neighbor who shovels your walk without being asked. Now she needs us to be that friend for her.

If we’re close – if you’ve ever laughed with Sarah, worked beside her, or just seen her kindness in action – then you know exactly what I mean. $25 from you is a night she doesn’t worry about her bills back home. $10 is a meal for her in Ulaanbaatar. $200 helps cover her travel medical insurance.

“I’ve volunteered everywhere I've been,” Sarah says. “Helping with a summer camp in Mongolia is once in a lifetime. I just can’t quite get there on my own.”

We’ll post updates from the road so you can see exactly what your support made possible – photos of kids learning first aid, Sarah teaching art under the desert sky, and the thank-you note she’s already planning to write.

For full transparency – here’s exactly where the $5,000 goes:

$1,000 – Plane ticket (Alaska → Minneapolis)

$200 – Lodging in Ulaanbaatar before/after camp

$300 – Medical prep (vaccines, meds)

$500 – Travel insurance

$800 – Bills back home while she’s away

$600 – Gear and teaching supplies for desert travel

Total needed: $5,000

Want to know more about the program? Visit the Mongol Ecology Center’s Junior Ranger page:

https://mongolec.org/junior-ranger