The Last Hill Before Home: The ¨T¨ factor.

Friday, January 9, 2009

The ¨T¨ factor.

I don´t know where to even begin with this guy.

Michael T. Ward

This is my wing man. This guy is a freaking champ! Without Mike this dream, this idea of a fundraiser probably wouldn´t be possible.

Mike is coming down to Panama City on January 16th to join me for the first leg of this fundraising event. Mike and I are biking across Panama in a effort to raise money for those kids who need it most.

Mike and I go back to San Francisco State University. Were college buddies and old fraternity brothers. Its amazing what friends and good ol´ frat boys will do for each other. Mike was on his way out of San Francisco State. He was a senior when I was coming in as a young 18 year old freshman. At one point I was thinking about transferring schools. I kinda wanted out of S.F. State and out of California. I was an 18 year old kid who thought I knew everything. Mike was one of my friends who told me to take a deep breath and think about my decisions before I acted. Great advice man. Without a friend like you who knows where I´d be today.

After school Mike and I didn´t really keep in touch to much. He went his way and I went mine. Mike lives and works in Sacramento, CA and I stayed in the city. We hung out every once in a while at friends weddings or any other big events. This last year Mike and have become a bit closer.

I told Mike about this idea for the fundraiser a few months ago. I was looking for some honest feedback. I knew I would get 100% honesty from Mike, he´s that type of guy. If he thought it was a stupid idea he would waste no time at all to tell me. He´d probably tell me I was crazy if he thought so. Instead, Mike, was 110% for it! He thought it was an amazing idea. He loved the idea so much, 1 month later, he bought his plane ticket to Panama to join me on this adventure.

On top of that he´s been training for the ride 5 days a week. He tells me that he does cycle classes with a full sweat suit on to get ready for the heat. I can picture it now...this guys rolls up to a cycling class in Sacramento with a beanie and a full sweat suit! The people in his class must think he´s crazy!

Anyway...Mike...without your dedication to this event I don´t know if I would have the courage to get threw it. Knowing that I have a friend that supports this idea and is dedicated to it as much as I am means so much to me! I can´t believe your getting down to Panama. The road ahead is going to be crazy. It´s going to be filled with adventure, the unknown, wild people, big hills, and crazy times! I can´t wait for you to get down here!

Mike and I share a love for Pablo Cohelo´s The Alchemist...and as it says in The Alcheimst....¨Maktub¨my friend. Which means ¨it is written¨.

See you soon!

Aaron

sorry about the pic Mike...I stole it off your facebook account!

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Plan USA

¨Plan is a global partnership of caring people founded in 1937 to bring hope and help to the world’s poorest children.

Plan began as a child sponsorship organization. Today, we are one of the oldest and largest organizations of our kind—our grassroots, self-help programs assist more than 10 million children and their families in poor communities around the world.

We are proudly private, not for profit, and respectful of local religions and cultures—we have no agenda other than helping kids. Plan USA is one of more than 60 national organizations bearing the renowned Plan logo. ¨

Right about the time that I was identifying non profit organizations to work with I received an email from my cousin Joshua. Josh, a meteorologist for the United States Air Force who is living in Germany and currently stationed in Iraq, mentioned that he was now sponsoring a child through Plan USA. He said that it was a small step but a small step in the right direction. He also mentioned that Plan USA was backed by the Better Business Bureau, a point that we both respect. Through various research of my own I found that Plan USA is a prominent NGO and has a great marks from InterAction and the Charities Review Council. Most importantly I found that Plan USA´s mission of ¨striving to achieve lasting improvement in the quality of life of deprived children in developing countries¨ linked exactly to my own mission for this fundraising event. Needless to say, it was a great fit.

The Inspiration

¨You must be the change you want to see in the world¨

- Mahatma Gandhi

I love to travel.

I have been lucky enough to throw on a backpack and visit 5 continents. I have been fortunate enough to see some amazing sights. It´s hard not to be inspired when your standing under the rotunda at the Taj Mahal or approaching the Pyramids of Egypt or wandering through the waterfalls at Iguazu in Argentina. These have all been inspiring times.

I also cherish the fact that I have met people from all over the world and been able to learn and share in the differences in cultures. You can learn so much when you share a spicy vietnamese sandwich with a local in Hoi An, when you take a stroll with a friend in a park in Santiago de Chile or gather with pilgrims over a pitcher of sangria at Santiago de Compostella in Spain. I´ve learned a lot and I´m incredibly grateful for all the opportunities.

With all the ups there´s also the downs. Theres another side you see when travelling. This side isn´t shared as much and it can also be quite difficult to talk about. Many countries, especially in the developing worlds, face many problems. HIV/AIDS, pollution, over population, lack of clean drinking water, dangerous living conditions and of course people living under $1 a day are just a few of the issues to mention.

I have wandered through the ghetto´s of Bangkok, I played stick games with the kids in the slums of Mumbai and seen the horrible living conditions of the street beggars in La Paz. While these encounters were only brief they still had a profound affect on me. Somehow, I draw inspiration from these encounters and connections. In so many situations these people who seemed to have nothing, were still smiling, still playing and still trying with all their means to get by. If only I had that much courage!

It was culture shock and it hurt.

I feel that now is the time to give back.

I encourage you to leave comments on this blog. Every word of positivity will help me along my journey. I encourage you to pass the message forward. Together we can help make a change for the kids that need it most. Finally, I encourage you to donate. There´s an icon on the top right hand corner of this blog that will direct you to a third party site that facilitates the donations. Its totally secure and safe. I appreciate all the love and positivity that I´m already recieving, of course this is not possible without people who want to help make a difference.

I don´t think that I´ll necessarily change the world, after all I´m just a 28 year old guy from San Francisco. But, I do want to give back. I do want to help. I have the opportunity so why not use it to help the children in the world who don´t have the same chances.

Now is the time to ¨be the change¨.

The Goal

In riding my bike from Panama City to San Francisco, I am initiating a grassroots fundraising effort to help raise money to feed starving children in Central and South America. All proceeds will go to PLAN USA. My goal is to raise a minimum of 15,000 dollars. In doing so I also hope to bring the plight and struggle of these children into the concious of the public, as well as their profound sense of life, courage, hope and faith. Their undeniable love for life, and ability to continue to dream.

Donate today http://www.firstgiving.com/lasthillbeforehome

I Believe

When taking on a mission like this it´s important to create a set of ideals, principles or beliefs. The task at hand is by no means going to be easy. These 7 beliefs are truly the fundamentals that will help me along my journey.

I Believe...

- In Plan USA. Plan´s clearly defined mission of ¨striving to achieve lasting improvements in the quality of life of deprived children in developing countries¨, is possible with the support from us if we are willing to make a difference today.

- In grassroots charitable efforts. Dedicated individual leaders and community outreach groups are fighting the growing problems of poverty.

- In the power of communication and information. Plan´s key programs of ¨growing up healthy, learning, habitat, livelihood and building relationships¨, are possible by making a donation and passing the message forward.

- Riding a bike from Panama City to San Francisco will raise awareness to the fight against poverty.

- In outdoor adventure travel. Riding is one of the positive and healthy activities that plants confidence into any individual.

- In the power of synergy. A group with a common mission driven by creativity and passion can accomplish any set of goals.

- A dream, a bike and a regular guy from San Francisco can help make a change in the lives of children whom need it most.

The Last Hill Before Home

Friday, January 9, 2009

The ¨T¨ factor.

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