*UPDATED – 3/31/16
The following message and pictures were shared via Trish McNeil (Jerry’s wife):
Jerry arrived in Kathmandu after staying the night in Seoul. Turns out there were 8 other people on the flight to Seoul who were either IMG staff or fellow climbers so that made it easier to get through the complicated customs operation and then catch the flight to Kathmandu the next morning. He spent a day and a half in Kathmandu where he delivered three computers to a school. The group headed to the airport at 5 in the morning to catch a flight to Lukla. Weather in Lukla delayed their departure. Jerry was on one of the first flights out; some people rented a helicopter; and the rest of the group couldn’t leave until the next day.
Meanwhile 7 people, including Jerry, had food poisoning. Thankfully, he recovered and headed out to meet his group at their first Tea House (no heat) but nice tea with Yak butter and milk. Yum! The group hiked up to Namche and spent a rest day there. Soon they will head to Deboche where they will spend a couple of days. The first picture is in Kathmandu; second in Namche; third is the entrance to Sagarmatha National Park; and the fourth is with Lopsong Sherpa, a guide, and their Sadir (head Sherpa) in front of a statue of Lakhpa-Tenzing Norgay (Jerry’s tent mate when he climbed Aconcaqua).
CLICK HERE to join Jerry in the fight against senior hunger.
*ORIGINAL POST –
The following was written by Jerry McNeil (FamilyWorks Board Member, Volunteer, and Supporter). He is climbing to the Mt. Everest Base Camp and Lobuche East in Nepal this month to draw attention to the problem of hunger amongst seniors in our community.
I am on the board of our local food bank,
FamilyWorks. At our January meeting I was dismayed to hear that 43% of our food bank customers are seniors (55 years and older). More alarming is the fact the number of seniors needing services has grown by 80% in the last three years.
As I trained in the winter rain on muddy Pacific Northwest trails for my journey to the Everest region of Nepal, I had this idea that maybe I could raise awareness of the hunger problem among seniors and raise money to help feed seniors.
There have been times when I wanted to give up on my quest to trek to Everest Base Camp and climb Lobuche East (20,075). However, when I thought of the many seniors I see at the food bank I felt I should challenge myself, be thankful for what I have and challenge others to fight senior hunger.
Please join me in donating to the FamilyWorks Food Bank. Together we can make a big difference.
Thanks for your help,
Jerry McNeil
Seattle, WA