Death Valley Crossing to Support Homeless Children
Tax deductible
Starting December 14th, I will walk across Death Valley, from the southernmost to the northernmost point, about 145 miles away. I will cross salt flats, sandy dunes, rocky dry-river beds and mountain washouts. Off-trail and unsupported, I will carry all the food, water and equipment I will need for the 8-day journey in a 90lb backpack. Just like carrying both my sons... all day! This journey has been successfully done only once (in the reverse direction) by Louis-Philippe Loncke, a Belgian explorer, adventurer and motivational speaker. A few others have tried, including me; all have failed, including me.
I am not an extreme explorer or adventurer like Louis-Philippe. I am a regular dad and small business owner. But I welcome a challenge. Years ago, a friend came back from a failed attempt to summit Mt Denali. I asked him what it’d take to do something this difficult and remote. He said that the first step is understanding that the people doing these incredible things are no different from the rest of us. It struck me as true and changed my outlook on outdoor adventures, as well as on other areas of my personal and professional life.
I have tried this journey before and failed three times. I learned from the problems I faced and the chances are good that I will accomplish my goal this year. But just in case, I want a little additional motivation to get me through to the end. I am asking my family and friends to help me raise money in support of the Mustard Seed School. After my journey is completed, the money raised will be donated in its entirety to help care for the children at the school. For me, it is an opportunity to pass along this spirit of adventure to those children, who have had a rough start in life. I am privileged in many ways and the challenges I impose on myself are nothing in comparison to the challenges they face on a daily basis. I hope to remind the students to dream about and focus on possibilities and reject the idea that their current situation is definitive.
Mustard Seed School is part of Sacramento Loaves & Fishes and it was established in 1989 to help meet the needs of homeless children. Many school age children do not attend school because of their homelessness; some lack immunizations, birth certificates, or other documents, some are in transit, and almost all lack a support system. In spite of their situations these children are eager to learn and to be accepted. Mustard Seed is a free, private school for children 3-15 years old which provides a safe, nurturing and structured environment, a positive learning experience, happy memories, survival resources of food, clothing and shelter referrals, medical and dental screenings, immunization updates, counseling for children and their parents, and assistance entering or reentering public schools. (A short video introduction about Mustard Seed here)
If you can help me support them, it’d mean a great deal to them and it’d would strengthen my will to finish this.
And you can track my location and progress real-time here:
https://share.garmin.com/RolandB
I am not an extreme explorer or adventurer like Louis-Philippe. I am a regular dad and small business owner. But I welcome a challenge. Years ago, a friend came back from a failed attempt to summit Mt Denali. I asked him what it’d take to do something this difficult and remote. He said that the first step is understanding that the people doing these incredible things are no different from the rest of us. It struck me as true and changed my outlook on outdoor adventures, as well as on other areas of my personal and professional life.
I have tried this journey before and failed three times. I learned from the problems I faced and the chances are good that I will accomplish my goal this year. But just in case, I want a little additional motivation to get me through to the end. I am asking my family and friends to help me raise money in support of the Mustard Seed School. After my journey is completed, the money raised will be donated in its entirety to help care for the children at the school. For me, it is an opportunity to pass along this spirit of adventure to those children, who have had a rough start in life. I am privileged in many ways and the challenges I impose on myself are nothing in comparison to the challenges they face on a daily basis. I hope to remind the students to dream about and focus on possibilities and reject the idea that their current situation is definitive.
Mustard Seed School is part of Sacramento Loaves & Fishes and it was established in 1989 to help meet the needs of homeless children. Many school age children do not attend school because of their homelessness; some lack immunizations, birth certificates, or other documents, some are in transit, and almost all lack a support system. In spite of their situations these children are eager to learn and to be accepted. Mustard Seed is a free, private school for children 3-15 years old which provides a safe, nurturing and structured environment, a positive learning experience, happy memories, survival resources of food, clothing and shelter referrals, medical and dental screenings, immunization updates, counseling for children and their parents, and assistance entering or reentering public schools. (A short video introduction about Mustard Seed here)
If you can help me support them, it’d mean a great deal to them and it’d would strengthen my will to finish this.
And you can track my location and progress real-time here:
https://share.garmin.com/RolandB
Organizer
Roland Banas
Organizer
Orangevale, CA
Sacramento Loaves And Fishes (Loaves & Fishes)
Registered nonprofit
Donations are typically 100% tax deductible in the US.
