Welcome to Marshall’s blog, which will cover the Dreams in Action (DNA, discover what you’re made of… it’s more than you think!) climb of Aconcagua via the Normal Route starting today through Jan 23, 2010. For general information about the climb you can go to Marshall’s Web site www.marshallulrich.com – check out the guide page in particular, but have a look around the entire site while you’re there!
Today Marshall and I (Heather Ulrich, Marshall’s wife and communications coordinator for the climb) depart for Mendoza, Argentina. Some of the DNA-climbers have already arrived in Mendoza, where they are being taken care of by the local guiding/tourist company we’re working with. Everyone is scheduled to arrive by tomorrow Jan 7th.
TeleTech Support
The DNA climb of Aconcagua has been supported by TeleTech http://www.teletech.com/en-US/about/ and the TeleTech Community Foundation http://www.teletech.com/EN-US/About/TeleTechFoundation/. A special thank you to our friend and TeleTech employee Theresa Daus-Weber for coordinating all of the support from TeleTech. In 2008, Theresa obtained financial support from TeleTech for the Dreams in Action (formerly Team Stray Dogs) climb of Kilimanjaro, includuing grants to two orphanages in Tanzania, Africa. For this Aconcagua climb, Theresa helped to coordinate a grant to the Crescere Foundation in Mendoza, as well as financial support for the climb (see below for more information). Theresa took the TeleTech flag to the summit of Kili, and will again endeavor to carry the TeleTech flag to the top of Aconcagua, another of the Seven Summits, during this trip. Upon our return to the States, Marshall will give a presentation to TeleTech employees about our experiences on the mountain and with the Crescere Foundation.
TeleTech Foundation Grant to the Crescere Foundation, Mendoza
The TeleTech Foundation provided a grant to the Crescere Foundation in Mendoza. Marshall and I, and Dreams in Action and our climbers, are so pleased that TeleTech’s social responsibility mission fits with DNA’s charitable work. Crescere’s motto is “Healthy People and Communities for a Better World” providing services to strengthen at risk families as well as programs for at risk youth, including healthy and safe school recreation programs. http://www.crescere.org.ar/
A huge thanks to the
TeleTech Foundation
for providing the
grant to Crescere!
Climb Support – Crescere Kids, Communications and
Informational Pieces
TeleTech has also provided financial support to the DNA group climbing Aconcagua. This support it being used by DNA, in part, to provide a life-changing experience for two young adults from the Mendoza area that obtain services from Crescere, Malcon and Reyna. These two young adults will be joining the group in their own provincial park, trekking is as far as base camp. Here are letters from these young adults that are sure to touch your hearts.
MALCON´S LETTER
Hello, I´m Malcon Mateluna my identity number is ***.
I go to “Lujan de las viñas” school, which is in ugarteche.
I want to participate in the contest to go to Aconcagua because I would like to visit the beautiful landscape and contemplate the sunset in that beautiful mountain.
It would also be an experience nice to live.
Perhaps I can never go to Aconcagua or maybe it will take me a lots of years. Plus this is an experience nice to share whit friends during the adolescence.
That would be a good reason why I want to go.
I hope to get raffled. See you. Bye.
Malcon Mateluna
REYNA´S LETTER
Hello;
My name is Reyna Rosas and I would like to go to the Aconcagua.
I live in a rural area in Mendoza, the place where I live is located on Carrizal del Medio, Finca Dicta.
In this place we don’t have any access to transport. We have to walk 7 kilometers to find a bus stop. And the bus does not go the city, you have to take another bus to go to town.
Only a few people have cars.
I have been living in this place for the last 10 years, and the only place I have visit is Lujan de Cuyo.
Every day I work on the field at harvest of garlic, tomato and carrot
My job is very sacrificed, we have to be under the sun or the bad weather every day of the year.
My dream is to finish school and study something else, so I won’t have to work in the harvest all my life.
It seems I am the only people interested in finishing school in the place I live.
I don’t have much more to tell
Good bye.
kisses
thanks for letting me participate in this contest
My regards.
Reyna
A HUGE thank you to TeleTech for their support, which has allowed DNA to provide this life-changing trip to Malcon and Renya. For us, having these kids join the DNA group makes the trip worthwhile!
TeleTech’s support of climb has also allowed DNA to be able to provide enhanced communications to those of you following at home through purchased and rented computer and satellite equipment. I have already prepared blog postings that are scheduled to post here in the morning every day during the climb. These postings include the planned itinerary and an informational piece prepared by one on the DNA climbers (our thanks to our climbers for taking the time to do the research and prepare these pieces!). These pieces cover a wide range of topics associated with the climb and the Mendoza, Argentina area, including:
Jan 7 Overview of Mendoza by Jason Stanfield
Jan 8 DNA Climb Overview by Heather Ulrich
Jan 9 Aconcagua Provincial Park by Mick Donoff
Jan 10 Water Supplies and Issues by Robin Swank Jan 11
Jan 12 Climate Conditions on Aconcagua by Alex Nemet
Jan 13 As special posting about Ray Zahab and i2P
Jan 14 Birds on Aconcagua by Jim Rogers
Jan 15 History of the Argentinean People by Heather Ulrich
Jan 16 Geology of Aconcagua by Marieke Dechesne
Jan 17 Animals on Aconcagua by Theresa Daus-Weber
Jan 18 Effects of Altitude on the Human Body by Rick Newman
Jan 19 Wine industry in Mendoza by Michael Hansen
Jan 20 Things To Do In and Around Mendoza by Gary Shaffer
Come back each day to follow along and learn something from the informational pieces.
Each day, technology willing, I will also be posting a live update with news about the progress of the DNA climbers on the mountain.
Marshall and I,
and the DNA group,
are extremely grateful
to both Theresa and
TeleTech for their support!
