On Freedom

A friend shrugged as we were talking about the PWCC. “You’re going to teach recreation, that’s kinda cool, but so what?” It got me thinking about where my own conviction to work so hard on this project was coming from?
Riding my bike out of town with a sleeveless top, knee length skirt and flip flops from a small town Independence Day parade with my mountain rescue team, it came to me. The answer is in fostering personal freedom and career opportunities for others.
What if you couldn’t ride a bicycle around town showing your arms, legs and hair? What if you were not allowed to play, as we do, in the mountains, as there was no one who would be socially acceptable to teach you? What if you were the daughter of a mountaineering family and your brothers were allowed to meet foreigners, to go on expeditions, expand their world? How important are these simple freedoms?
As guests of Pakistan, we have the opportunity to introduce women, from many differing backgrounds, to mountain exploration, the thrill of climbing, the comradeship of a team, then, if they chose, exploration in careers within this realm.
Every culture has its forms of freedoms and its confinements: we, in the West, have personal freedom at the cost of all else. I look forward to learning about the lives of Pakistani women, and what costs are assumed in return for their lives' most important values.
-Sallie

Sallie Shatz, racking up.

Check out an article about Sallie and Heidi and the PWCC in yesterday's Aspen Daily News!

...And more thank yous!!...

The gear and support are just pouring in!

• Lilla Molnar of Canmore, Canada, sent a box of goodies including rope, crampons, packs and clothing.
• La Sportiva sent two pairs of boots, as did many individuals (Thanks Ruthann, Claire, Julie, Jim Shim and Nancy!)
• EMS Climbing School just donated 10 pairs of crampons, and EMCS guide Craig Taylor added 2 more pairs to that
• Jim & Angela Donini sent along a very significant donation, which was matched by our challenge grant from the AAC
• Thank you to Charlotte Fox, once again, for all of her efforts and support in all aspects of the trip. Charlotte, this couldn't have come together without you!

Final Needs Update

A little over a week from now we are all going to be wrestling our gear onto planes bound for Gilgit. We are keeping close tabs on the political/social scene there and still feel it safe enough to travel.

Last minute needs:
Thanks to many commitments in the last few weeks, and some major cash donations, we are closing in on reaching many of our goals. If you are able, please help us with a few last minute areas:

- Cash donations. To date we are in need of approximately $7,000 to reach our goal budget, which covers plane fares, satellite phones, shipping costs of some of the equipment and an emergency travel fund (which will be donated back if not used). Please make a tax deductible donation through the AAC, and don't forget to earmark it for the Pakistani Women's Climbing Camp. Donor incentives are still in place!
- Women's mountaineering boots, more information at this link
- Crampons, walking or 12 point, adjustable, small sizes preferable
- Ice climbing and mountaineering axes
- Pickets, ice screws, cams, nuts, locking and non-locking carabiner
- Trekking Poles

There is still time to get these items to us! Just let us know they are on the way and send them to:

Sallie Dean Shatz
Sallie Dean Shatz Photography
0068 Blue Sage Lane
Snowmass, CO 81654
phone: 970 923 6757

OR

Eastern Mountain Sports Climbing School
c/o Janet Bergman
2760 Main Street
North Conway, NH 03860
phone: 603 986 9457

All items must be received by July13.
Cash donations can be made for the remainder of 2007.

All equipment will stay in the care of the Alpine Club of Pakistan for future Women's Camps (which are already in the works!) and other educational courses.

Mountain to Mountain

The energy and excitement from friends, new and old, who hear about our involvement in the PWCC has constantly rejuvenated us. Many of my male friends have offered to wear skirts and wigs to be able to be a part of this program. One friend and fellow photographer, Tony DiZinno, is a great example. After photographing the Teva games in Vail, Colorado, he visited me in Aspen. Insistent on making an introduction he knew would be fruitful, we drove to Breckenridge, CO for a lunch with Shannon Galpin, one of the two women who founded Mountain to Mountain. It took about 10 seconds for Shannon and I to know we had to work together. We had both lived in Beirut, Lebanon and shared a love for the place… as Omar Shariff said- “Once Lebanese, you are always Lebanese.” (And he was Egyptain. His love for Lebanon came while filming Lawrence of Arabia). There is a joy of life, an appreciation for being alive, no matter what is happening there that inspires you to live life to the fullest.

Mountain to Mountain was created by Shannon Galpin and Tara Dugan to spearhead fundraising efforts for community projects in remote mountain areas around the world. Built upon the vision of uniting like-minded mountain communities with a single cause, Mountain to Mountain will help fund and promote projects, specifically in the areas of education and environmental awareness, in other mountain communities around the world.

On the evening of their inaugural event, I watched Shannon and Tara raise $50,000 to build a school for girls in the earthquake-ravaged area of Azad Kashmir, to be built by the Central Asia Institute. Greg Mortenson, who the founder of the Central Asia Institute, and the subject of the book Three Cups of Tea, was the presenter. That evening, they also secured a $25,000 challenge grant. I spoke with Shannon this morning; they reached their challenge grant and have raised over $100,000, enough to build two girl’s schools.

I am in awe!

Mountain to Mountain has offered to adopt the Pakistani Women’s Climbing Camp as one of its partner programs. We are flattered and honored to be working with these two incredible women! More to come on our work together soon!

-Sallie

Thanks to all!!

We have had support coming from many directions over the past few weeks. Mountaintrip is donating a slew of four season tents as well as use of a satellite phone. SUUNTO and Bill Porter have organized the donation of several Vector watches for the guides to utilize during the trip and then leave with Pakistani women after the camp. Sterling Ropes of Maine is providing ropes and cordage. Osprey donated packs for all the guides. Mountain Hardwear recently sent a box of clothing for participants. EMS Climbing School provided a slew of hardwear from ice tools to trekking poles to crampons and more. Mountainfund is also sending along an assortment of gear. Several individuals have dug boots and crampons out of their closets to send to the camp. On top of all they have already done, the American Alpine Club is sending Mountain Hardwear duffle bags for the transport of all the above mentioned donations. Thank you thank you thank you to all! Less than two weeks before departure, and many donation agreements are still in the works--we are so excited, and so grateful!