Wednesday, January 6, 2010
As this email goes out, we are tucked into our sleeping bags at 15,700 feet, trying to get about 2 ½ hours’ sleep before we make our push for the summit. At about 7:00 p.m. PST tonight, we should be standing on the tallest point in Africa at 19,340 feet.
A special thank you to Norma Evans and John Tursky for their contributions to helping children. As we prepare to summit after a long, difficult journey, Norma is about to give birth to her first child, Jacques' niece. Our journeys have been long and challenging, but in the end, the results will be spectacular and life-changing. Thank you, Norma and John.
We are also grateful to loyal supporters whose donations have just come in: Jay Butterfield and Bruce Both, President of UFCW Local 1500, at Trekker level, wow, thank you! Lee and Laurie Schneider and Teamsters Joint Council 7 we so appreciate your Hiker level sponsorships. To Ed West, Darin Ferguson, Al Vincent, John Mason, Linda Brown, Chuck and Diane Gephardt and Rick Crane (double time!!), you keep us grounded at Base Camp! And to Donna Rauch and Eric Brandon, we couldn’t do what we’re doing without our Sherpas: Thank you, all!!
Below is another inspiring story of a child who is winning the fight against blood cancer. We never forget that we are climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest peak, for her and other children like her!
Lauren was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia at age 2 ½. Over the next two years she underwent two bone marrow transplants.
Four years after Lauren’s second transplant, her mother says: “I think she is a miracle… Now she is a beautiful 8-year-old third grader… Outside of her being smaller than her peers, no one would ever guess she had been sick.”
For Lauren, and for the sake of other children like her, we hope you will become a generous supporter of “The Challenge.” If you haven’t already done so, please make your donation online at www.ClimbforChildren.org and make sure you “Become a Fan” of the Loveall Foundation page on Facebook.com.
Any and all support for this cause is greatly appreciated.
Thank you for accepting “The Challenge.” Onward and upward!
