On Memorial Day 2008, Maria del Piano fell on a climb in the Near Trapps and was taken to an ambulance on a rescue litter. She needed surgery on her wrist, where a titanium plate was inserted.
As a result of this experience, Maria offered to donate a generous amount of money to the Gunks Climbers' Coalition Rescue Fund, to help with the purchase of new rescue equipment for the Mohonk Preserve. With this seed money, the GCC was just about to start a fund drive when something unbelievably offensive happened. Thieves stole $9000 worth of ropes and specialized rigging gear from the rescue cache in the Trapps.
While the Mohonk Preserve works with their insurance company to help recover their losses, the GCC would like to continue our plans for the Rescue Fund drive to raise money for new equipment, defray rescue costs and help with any theft expenses not covered by insurance.
We hope to raise as much money as possible between now and our November 1st benefit slide show featuring Michael Kodas, the author of High Crimes - The Fate of Everest in the age of Greed, a narrative look at how big money and big egos are drawing crime and malfeasance to Mount Everest. Admission to the slide show is a $10 donation. For more information about the slide show, see http://gunksclimbers.org/events.shtml#KODAS.
Please help the GCC help the Mohonk Preserve, so they can have the rescue equipment needed to help us climbers when we need them the most. The Mohonk Preserve is a non-profit land conservation organization supported by its members and visitors and depends on all of us to help. At present accident rates, the Preserve estimates that rescues cost $10,000 per year and presently this must come out of the Preserve's bottom line. Also, equipment ages and needs to be replaced with new equipment regularly.
Please go to http://gunksclimbers.org/rescuefund.shtml to make your donations. We accept personal check, credit cards and Paypal payments.
Thank you for your help.
The Gunks Climbers' Coalition
Gunks Climber's Coalition Fundraising Campaign
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