Redtree Times

I don’t want to take much of your time on this holiday but I do want to remind you that there is one week left  to donate (and, yes, possibly win!) to the Soarway Foundation and their efforts to assist Nepal in recovering from last year’s big earthquake.

Part of this also aids in helping Nepal  build up its preparedness for future earthquakes, which was the Soarway Foundation’s original mission.  You see, this organization was founded by Michael Kobold  ( watchmaker, filmmaker, author and explorer -check out his extraordinary life here) only weeks before the 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit last April.  Nepal sits on two shifting tectonic plates and has been in the cross-hairs for a huge earthquake for many years.  And undoubtedly many more.

Scott DeLisi, from his years as the US Ambassador to Nepal, knew that the country was in extreme danger from such an event and did not have the resources to react  in time of need.  He signed on as the head of Soarway with the hope of reinforcing its weak disaster response infrastructure.  This is a country that only had 24 firetrucks to cover a huge area of extremely rugged land.

The Kathmandu Valley only had one firetruck serving it.  One of the first projects of the Soarway Foundation was an expedition delivering several firetrucks to Nepal.

That isn’t as easy as it sounds.  The trucks must be driven through high and rough Himalayan roads in order to find their home in Nepal.  It’s this same remote ruggedness that make any rescue and recovery there such a hard business.

But the mission for preparedness became one of recovery as the earthquake hit in late April of 2015.  The Soarway Foundation realized there was so much devastation that no one group could rebuild the hundreds of thousands of homes or the thousands of schools destroyed.  They understood that the most effective manner of bringing aid was in partnering with local groups who knew the terrain and the immediate needs of the local people.  This has led them to their partnerships with groups that battle human trafficking, that try to find family homes for the huge number of orphans and that try to rebuild permanent housing for the tens of thousands still living in tents.

You could win this painting valued at $5000!

There’s a huge need in Nepal and this is but a small step in helping that country.  I don’t have the resources to help in a very large way but I thought that maybe we could raise some much needed money through an event where many small donations could grow into something more.  So, using the only asset at my disposal, my work, I put up a larger painting so that those donating could possibly win by donating.  Plus, they get a signed poster and their donation is tax deductible.

Have a good Memorial Day and please consider reaching out and giving a hand to those who really need it.