Welcome everyone!
In the summer of 2007, I climbed to the summit of Mount Baker, WA in a trip organized by my school. As a fourteen- year-old, I went with two guides and eight of my friends and had a great time, learning many new things about the mountain and mountaineering and what it’s like to be so far from civilization yet somehow feel comfortable. Now, two years later as a rising senior in high school, I know I am grateful to my school for providing me with this opportunity, a unique and fulfilling way for me to know and push my limits.
This August, I wish to continue this and climb Mount Rainier, a peak that is over 14,000 feet high, in an attempt to supplement my mountaineering experience. I have fully thrown myself into my training and preparation for this Mount Rainier summit attempt. Contrary to initial opinion, being sixteen years “young” isn’t really a benefit; I still need to work extremely hard to get into proper physical shape. Every week, I do a strength circuit with free weights, lots of cardiovascular exercise, and grueling sessions on the Jacobs Ladder (see here for a description of the workout).I also run stairs with 35-40 pounds and at least one long hike up the neighboring hills every week (6-9 miles) with up to 45 pounds. In fact, I don’t even walk for an extended period of time without a heavy pack! Though this seems ambitious, I know that all of this and more is required, as only 50-60% actually make it to the top; the rest either are turned away due to the weather or simply are unable to bear the altitude, the cold, or the physicality. When I’m looking for motivation to push forth with my workouts, I simply imagine the inimitable feelings of pride and thrill and humility that come from reaching the summit and also derive inspiration from the fact that the money raised may help improve the lives of several children, even if just a little bit.
I spent much of my summer in 2008 in India serving underprivileged children wracked by low expectations, poor economic circumstances, academic underachievement, and inadequate health care. Clearly, anything that I could do would help these children – it didn’t take much to make a difference in their lives. This realization coupled with the constant reminder of Mount Rainier (a Northwest icon) has brought me to this point with a plan daunting in two respects: one, to climb Mount Rainier this summer, and two, to center a formal fundraising operation around this trip for the first time in my life. I plan to raise money for Seattle Children’s Hospital, another iconic Seattle institution, and also for AID India, the organization with whom I worked with last summer.
Across the world, there are millions of schools in which the students do not have even close to the same access to information and resources as I do, ranging from classrooms and school buildings to textbooks and good teachers. Last summer, when I visited I was appalled by the state of the public education system there; some second-grade kids were only able to count three-digit numbers and most sixth-grade students I tested struggled with subtraction. Working closely with AID, I designed many lessons and games that can instill confidence, inspiration, and a sense of fun into school for these children while also teaching them the mathematical concepts they need to know. My set of self-developed lessons has now been certified by the Public Education Commissioner and no less than three of the lessons I designed are in widespread use.
AID is also in the process of establishing a number of “model schools” (similar to the charter school concept in the USA), in which a special education curriculum is followed. When these model schools are able to maintain success for a certain period of time, the new curriculum is then adopted all over the state. One of the newly established model schools is known as the Vinobhaji School and is a public school for 115 orphaned children. The funds that you donate will go towards the Eureka Child Education Fund and will be used to cover the costs and tuition of this school and similar AID model schools.
This site is safe, secure, and has been approved by the respective organizations for online contributions. If you would like contribute by check, please send me an email and I will make the necessary arrangements.
As stated above, I am also providing a log including some pictures about my training and efforts on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Mount-Rainier-for-Childrens-Hospital/113211573536. If there are other things you would like to know about the Mount Rainier climb, I would be glad to answer them; please don’t hesitate to email me at rparamesh@gmail.com.
You also have the option of donating a certain amount per foot of elevation. If this interests you, please send me an email specifying cents or dollars or rupees per foot climbed. In addition, you can also choose to set a maximum limit or total amount contributed, should you so choose.
For anyone donating $5,000 or more, I will be delighted to provide a photograph of a small memento or picture that belongs to you, taken on top of the mountain, after I’ve successfully carried it to the summit.
All donations are tax-deductible.
If your organization or company matches your donation, please let me know by email and I will provide you with specific instructions on how to ensure the match.
I would also greatly appreciate it if you could spread the word as widely as is possible; please forward this message to tell your family, friends, relatives, and acquaintances about my cause. Thank you sincerely for your encouragement, your generosity, and your help.
I am going on this climb in part because I believe that even a small effort here can matter and make a difference to some child and his or her family. Please do join me in this effort, so that we can help AID India do its best to help as many children as possible. AID has welcomed this effort, and so I sincerely hope that you will support this effort generously.
Sincerely,
Rohan
PS – Many thanks for your support -- and don't forget to forward this to anyone who you think might want to donate too! Also, please visit http://www.firstgiving.com/rainierforchildrens to donate to Seattle Children's Hospital in Seattle, WA. Please also see here for a press release sent to major news networks.