Summit For Someone 2009

Howdy!
My name is Luis Lopez and on July 22, 2009, I will climb to the summit of Mt. Rainier (14,411 ft., via the Emmons Glacier) in the Cascades to raise money that will benefit at-risk teens nationwide. I'm participating in a Summit for Someone mountain climbing series to support Big City Mountaineers, a 501(c)(3) non-profit recreational mentoring program for at-risk teens.
Big City Mountaineers provides urban teenage youth in need of positive adult mentoring with a challenging and safe wilderness experience led by qualified adult volunteer guides.

I'm summiting for youth that I feel a genuine understanding for. My experiences with the wilderness during my youth were only few and far between but I realize now that they were among the most important things that've me who I am. The truth is, all it really takes is a few genuine experiences for a profound, positive impact to grow out of.

The physical challenge of climbing a real mountain makes you want to take on all the rest of life's mental, emotional and financial challenges. For the at-risk teens who will participate in Big City Mountaineer's programs, the feeling they will have at the top of a mountain is what will empower them to strive for the excellence they otherwise won't aim for. These kids can grow up to do great things, but first they need a taste of greatness to inspire them.

I'm devoted to raising money for Big City Mountaineers because now more than ever, when the world is realizing the true importance of Nature and our place within it, they are repairing the disconnect between our youth and the world they belong to by making the wilderness available to those who otherwise wont have the opportunity to know the world beyond their own neighborhood.

The programs that Big City Mountaineers provides open up an entire world Outside to inner-city youth, and you'll agree that just as importantly, they open up an entire world inside of the youth themselves.

I will be climbing Mount Rainier with 8 other people and a guide. This challenge will test me physically, emotionally and mentally. To reach the summit will take me three days and two nights of climbing, so I will be training for the next 6 months in order to prepare for the climb. I'm excited to be committing myself so strongly and to be giving so much towards something so real, worthwhile and valuable.

You and I may know the sublime awe of participating in the grandeur of nature, the thrill and wonder of exploring untread wilderness, the healing contrast between an overcrowded city and a pristine forest. You and I may know the taste of triumph and it inspires us to produce the best in ourselves –the teens you will help do not know this privilege yet, after your support they will.

To do my part, I have committed myself to raising $3,600 for Big City Mountaineer's youth programs, and that's where you come in. I think you'll agree, it's never a comfortable thing asking for money and supporting me will make a positive impact on the lives of many teens.
Be sure, even a little bit will help.We each put in what we can, and together we will solve big problems. Your tax-deductible support will take teens beyond the limits of the world they know, in turn, this will produce a tremendous effect. To give towards this great cause, click this link and donate to my climb.

When I reach my goal, standing above the clouds, looking over all the obstacles I will have overcome, I will feel something greater than my own triumph. I will look forward and see the countless other triumphs of the teens that will be empowered to climb their own mountains. The ones who will be provided with what troubled teens need the most, a true challenge to reveal to them their true untapped potential.

I want to thank you in advance for your supporting this incredible journey, on behalf of myself and those teens who I am climbing for, who otherwise won't have a chance to believe that they had the ability to ascend to great heights in life. I'm also asking that you take a visit to Big City Mountaineer's website (http://www.bigcitymountaineers.org/) to learn more about what they do for youth and to read the great response the youth are giving to the programs, and the Summit for Someone's website (http://www.summitforsomeone.org/) so that you will be inspired by their personal, dynamic and progressive fundraising approach. In addition to investing your own support please do this for me too, forward this letter to as many people you know, and talk to as many people as you can about my climb, because making more people aware of this awesome cause will help empower that many more at-risk teens to push themselves beyond their limits towards their greatest potential!

To give you an exact picture of how far your donation will go, here are examples of how much your money accomplishes:

$50 Supports a Teen for a Day
$100 Supports Two Teens for a Day
$250 Supports a Whole Youth Group for a Day
$400 Supports a Teen for His/Her Entire Trip
$2,000 Supports a Whole Youth Group for their Entire Group

For every $1 Summit For Someone Donation:
$0.77 - BCM's Recreational Mentoring Program
$0.23 - Fundraising Program Costs

Climb on! & Donate Here!