Kilimanjaro! Kilimanjaro!
In early March this year a brave band of Bóthar supporters from all over Ireland took on the challenge of scaling mighty Kilimanjaro. This was one of Bóthar’s most adventurous fundraising challenge events to date.
Reaching the summit for Bóthar.
Back: Linda Hayden (Dublin), Dermot Ryan (Naas, formerly Tipperary), Margaret O Connor (Tipperary), Michael Behan (Waterford), Pat McCarrick (Bothar, Sligo), Susan Patterson (Carlow), Paddy McManus (Dublin).
Front: Cillian Wood ( Arklow), Podge O Brien (Charleville), Beatrice Lasserre (Bray), Eimear Cleary (Ennis), Michael Leydon (Celbridge), , Sarah Brookes (Dublin), John Wade (Wexford), Robert Laird (Dublin).
It is said of Kili that her days are like summer but her nights are like winter… and so it proved to be. Hot days in the equatorial forest at it base led, over the course of the climb (7 days), to the freezing conditions of the final assent to the summit. Each day of the adventure brought the participants through a different climate zone despite the fact that this magnificent and unique mountain is situated so close to the equator.
Michael Behan from KIlmacthomas in County Waterford with Zulu, as mascot from Cloonacool NS in County Sligo. Zulu later visited the school to relate all his adventures.
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The trek took on expedition like proportions; from the long treks up hill each day to the austerity of tented accommodation and the discomfort of minimal sanitation facilities right through to suffering physically from the extremes of heat and cold as well as the sickness brought on by altitude. All this however was more than off-set by the spirit of achievement and camaraderie displayed by the group and by the many new friendships formed during the trip.
The group of climbers/fundraisers where also participants in a one day Study Tour during their stay in Tanzania. This gave people an excellent opportunity to see first hand the work of Bóthar is this East African country. In recent years, many of the dairy goats sent from Ireland by Bóthar have been gifted to needy families in Tanzania. The group were very reassured to see these same goats alive and well and giving food and hope to families who now live a better life under the immense shade of Kilimanjaro.
Bóthar would like to pay particular tribute to all the participants in this Kilimanjaro Trek; for their dedication to fundraising and for their unrelenting determination while on the slopes of Africa’s highest mountain – a fitting symbol for the work of Bóthar. The organisation hopes to undertake a similar fundraising trip to Kilimanjaro in 2009.
Contact events@bothar.ie
or phone their Fundraising Projects office on 071 9120100 for details.
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