YL AFRICA - Kilimanjaro Fundraiser Climb 2009

Team Kilimanjaro,

Here we go.... I really need all of you to please pay very close attention to the following information:

* Attachments: (1)Kilimanjaro Gear List, (2)Kilimanjaro General Travel Tips
Note that if you don't have Hiking Boots yet, you'll want to get some as soon as possible, to allow you time to begin breaking them in.  You do NOT want to wait until we get to Africa & begin climbing, to put on your boots for the first time.  Trust me.  We'll talk more about boots, gear, etc, on our coference call next week.

* Flight Schedule : See Down Below.... Please check the info I've listed, & reply ASAP to confirm that I've got your Flight Departure/Return dates correct.
* Travel Agent Contact Info:   Those of you who are not returning on to Dallas on the 15th, will need to contact Lydia directly, to arrange & confirm your return flight to Dallas.  She'll then be able to give you the cost of your airfare.

      Lydia Villanueva - Soto, CTC

      Tan Travel
      Email: lydia@tantrvl.com

      1-800-777-8261

* Your Full Name: I need you to reply to this email ASAP with your full name, exactly as it reads on Passport, so we can give it to our Travel Agent
* Fundraising, Checks, & Payment: 
All checks should be made out to "Young Life", and mailed to Tom Ramey, who will be tracking all payments & fundraising for the Team.  Obviously, the sooner you all can get your checks in the mail to Tom, the better.  Note that the Airfare Payment is going to be due very soon, in order to avoid losing the rate the Travel Agent's now holding for us, for those flying out of Dallas July 1, and returning July 15.
* General Trip Itinerary (Tentative): See Down Below...
* Trip Budget (Tentative): See Down Below.....
 Note that at this stage, this is our best estimate of the costs going into the budget for this Trip.  We will discuss more about this on the conference call next week.  I'll be sure to let you all know if anything changes here, & will get you all a total sum of the payment due, next week on our call.
* Conference Call: Please email Tom Ramey ASAP to confirm whether a Conference Call @ 7pm central works better for you on either Monday OR Tuesday of next week.  We will be discussing the Gear List, how to be preparing for the climb, some of the legistics of the itinerary, payment & cost of trip, as well as addressing any specific questions you all have at this stage.

* Trip T-Shirt Design: If any of you are interested in designing a YL Africa T-Shirt for this Trip, I really think that would be a great idea.  It could also be a really creative way to raise good $ if you sell them to all of your friends & family, etc.  Please let me know if I can help.
* Trip Blog Site (Click Link) : You all should have just received an invitation via email to join the Trip Blog.  Note that if you don't already have a "gmail" account setup, it is free & VERY easy to do, so that you can join & begin posting on the Blog.  If one of you would like to volunteer to help us manage the blog, please let me know, so that I can be sure to assign you admin priveledges on the site.   Emails with important info on this Trip, like this one, will all be posted there on the Blog for you to go back if you need to.


*FLIGHT SCHEDULE

Depart Dallas to Kilimanjaro - Wednesday, July 1
Tom Ramey
Rick Rogers
Stephen Rogers
Michael Rogers
David Osteen
Carolyn Osteen
John Pitts

Leave Dar Es Salaam (July 14) / Return Dallas - Wednesday, July 15
Tom Ramey
Michael Rogers
David Osteen
John Pitts
Judy Pitt (Leaving Dar, but not returning to Dallas)

Leave Dar Es Salaam, TZ (July 16) / Return Dallas - Friday, July 17
Rick Rogers
Stephen Rogers (Unconfirmed)

Leave Dar / Return Dallas (July 23) - Friday, July 24
Carolyn Osteen


* GENERAL ITINERARY

JULY 1 : Depart from Dallas
JULY 2 : Arrive Kilimanjaro
                    -    Welcomed by Alexis Kwamy, YL Arusha Team
               -    Hotel overnight in Arusha
JULY 3 : Visit YL Arusha
               -    Hosted by Alexis & Jacque Kwamy, and YL Arusha Leaders
                    -    Kilimanjaro Briefing w/ Guides
               -    Hotel overnight in Arusha
JULY 4 : Drive to Machame Gate & Begin Climbing Kilimanjaro via Machame Route
JULY 10 : Finish Climb around 2-3pm
                    -    Dinner w/ Alexis & Jacque Kwamy at their home in Arusha
               -    Hotel overnight in Arusha
JULY 11 : Fly to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
JULY 11 - 14 : Serve w/ YL Africa Committee & YL Africa Staff from across Africa
JULY 14 : Depart Dar Es Salaam
JULY 15 : Return to Dallas (minus Rick Rogers, Stephen Rogers, Judy  Pitt, & Carolyn Osteen)


*Mt. Kilimanjaro's Machame Route

The Machame Route is one of the most scenic of the routes up to Uhuru Peak. It also affords one the chance of acclimatization due to the concept of climb high, sleep low. The ascent is from the western side of Kilimanjaro, with the descent down the southern face along the Mweka route. One passes through changing vegetation from a tropical forest, to scrubland, to alpine desert and onwards to the summit with it incredible ice fields. You will start your trek at Machame Forest and heads through the lush forest, hanging with moss and lichen with its enormous forest canopy, gradually up the Machame Camp for the first night. Next day, the route heads into a scrubland with giant Lobelia and daisy bushes up toward Shira Camp before heading next day into the alpine desert towards Lava Tower and back down to Barranco. From here on in the terrain remains like an alpine desert, with the glaciers reaching down the mountain like long fingers, to about 4800m. You will hit the glacial snow line at about 5700m, maybe higher.


* TRIP BUDGET (Tentative)

TRAVEL
$2,468 = Airfare (July 1-15 Itinerary)
$100 = Visa
$75 = YLX Service Fee

KILIMANJARO & ARUSHA 
*Kilimanjaro Climb for 9 People = $2200 per Person (Approximately)
           -Note that our original price estimate here was based on group size of 20-30 people.  I want to assure you that these guides & the service, is among the best
             of the best.  We've used them for 3 summers now, & their record has been phenomenal.  Last summer, they took 29 of 31 people in our Group, to the top of  
             the mountain.  Gabrielle Nakini, the lead Guide, has become a close friend of mine, who I've been working with now for 4 years.
*Tips to Guides & Porters = $75-100 per Person
           -There will be 3 Guides with us, a couple Cooks, & about 18-20 Porters to carry our Duffle Bags, Food, Tents, etc.
           -Tip covers the entire Trip, & is divided by the Guides to distribute among all of the Porters, etc.
*Hotel in Arusha (July 2,3, 10)
           Double = $100 per Person x 3 Nights
           Single = $150 x 3 Nights

DAR ES SALAAM
*Ground Transport to and from Airport = $25 per Person
*Lodging in Dar (July 11-14)
           Double = $35 per Person per Night Bed & Breakfast
           Single = $50 per Person per Night Bed & Breakfast
*Meals (Lunch & Dinners) = $8 per Person
                   Note: Drinks not included
*Optional Side Trips
           Day at the Island = $20 per Person (includes Lunch)

We will wait to hear from you all. Let's keep praying BIG.... Thanks Everyone!

in HIM,

Drew


Drew Voyles
YLX Africa Coordinator
cell: 770.851.2949
email: ylexpeditions.africa@gmail.com

Team Kilimanjaro,

Please reply ASAP to confirm whether the dates below are going to work for you.  Also note that these are not 'confirmed' dates, but rather they're what we're prepared to request w/ the travel agent who'll then determine availability.  We really need to finish lining up the group's itinerary here as soon as possible, so please let me hear from you.  Note the Trip will begin & end in Dallas, TX.  If you need to return home earlier, etc, that's the kind of information I'm looking for here.  Thanks Everyone!

Departing Dallas: Wednesday, July 1st
Returning Dallas: Wednesday, July 14th

TENTATIVE TRIP ITINERARY
Arrive in Arusha : July 2
Begin Climbing : July 4
Finish Climb : July 10
Fly to Dar Es Salaam, TZ : July 11
Serve w/ Young Life Africa Committee : July 11-14
Depart Dar Es Salaam : July 14


Drew Voyles
YL Expeditions Africa Coordinator
cell: 770.851.2949
email: ylexpeditions.africa@gmail.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Drew Voyles [mailto:drew.voyles@gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 1:32 PM
To: Tom Ramey; rick.rogers@mac.com; davidosteen2001@yahoo.com; carolynlong@mac.com; Andy Pitts; pittsjo@auburn.edu; steven.r.rogers@gmail.com; mike.rogue@gmail.com; Judy Pitt; Lpitts117@aol.com
Cc: Steve Larmey; Kevin & Patti French; Mike & Dana Knowles; Hunter Lambeth; micheleylx@gmail.com; Barb Salvino
Subject: Re: How people can give money to YL Africa (for the Kili climb)

Steven & Kilimanjaro Team 2009,

I believe the best option in this case, would be to simply direct people to the YL Africa Website, where they'll find a collection of Photos + general background on the mission in each Country the Lord is touching today through YL Africa.  If you're approached by someone with a desire to give $ to YLA, in honor of the Climb, just have them put their check in the mail, made out to "Young Life Africa", to either you or to Tom,  who'll then tally all giving for us accordingly.
Below are some links I think might serve you all well here.

*YL Africa Website (Click Link)

*YLX Africa Marketing Video (Click Link)
Short 3 to 4 minute clip

*Trip Blog Site (Click Link)
I'm still looking for someone to volunteer to serve on point to oversee / manage this Blog for us.  If you're interested in doing so, please let me know so I can get you lined up as the administrator.  You all should have just received an invitation via email today to join.  Note that if you don't already have a gmail account setup, it's free, easy to do, & required to be granted access to post on the Blog.


Thanks Everyone!!!


Drew Voyles
YL Africa Expeditions Coordinator
cell: 770.851.2949
email: ylexpeditions.africa@gmail.com

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Steven Rogers [mailto:steven.r.rogers@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, April 27, 2009 3:19 PM
To: Tom Ramey
Subject: Re: Well....its official

 

Thanks, Tom. So exciting!

 

Don't know yet if I'll be able to stay and hang out with the committee. See you soon. 

 

Steven

On Mon, Apr 27, 2009 at 2:25 PM, Tom Ramey <help2@vu-ryte.com> wrote:

Well...GANG…WE are NOW a TEAM!!!!!...its Official!!!!!!

 

The First Annual Mt. Kilimanjaro Climb…. in Support of Young Life Africa…..looks like a reality……

 

The numbers aren't maybe as big as we initially hoped…looks like there will be 10-12 of us…….but God rarely seems to accomplish His plans along our personal desires……

 

We come from three states…..and include doctors, physical therapists, students, real estate moguls, and a top fifty finalist for "The Best Job in the World."…… Soon…and very soon…we will begin to get to know each other….as we begin this fabulous journey together…..

 

A couple of things…please let me know that you received this….

 

Secondly, expect soon to be receiving info from Drew Voyles of Young Life Expeditions regarding travel details…..

 

Thirdly….and this is cool…upon our completion of "The First Annual Mt. Kilimanjaro Climb…in Support of Young Life Africa"…..we have been invited to spend time with the Young Life Africa International Committee…whose annual meeting begins as we complete our trek……would you like to spend a few days with them???……it should be a tremendous time……let me know your thoughts…..

 

Finally…the link below is about 4 minutes long….its a very new video describing Young Life Expeditions specifically as it relates to Young Life Africa…..it is ONE OF THE BEST I have seen……it will be worth your time…..FABULOUS!!!!!

 

<http://www.hybr-id.com/blog/index.php>

 

 

Blessings…..

 

Tom