High Cloud Foundation - Because Dreams Come True

Written by Rachel and Rina

Join High Cloud on an upcoming humanitarian mission this September to Kenya to provide support to the Maasai community living in Maasailand, one of the largest game refuges in the world!  Experience a culture rich in history and tradition while living with the Maasai, a large tribe estimated at nearly 900,000 people, living in an area that stretches across both Kenya and Tanzania. High Cloud will spend 10 days with the Maasai in the village.

High Cloud will be providing support to children and the community through presenting educational projects and building infrastructure, as well as providing much-needed school supplies.  Teams of High Clouders will be providing their time and talent to help the local community by helping construct a classroom for the rescued school children, as well as visiting the Kenya museums.  A more detailed description of each day of the mission is below.  

Tentative dates for the trip are September 11- September 21.  Both flights are over night, thus the trip will be 12 days.  As of July 2, 2010, round trip flights from Washington DC to Nairobi cost $1420.  The sooner that one can commit to the trip to Kenya , the cheaper the flight will be.  Food and lodging costs are estimated at $60 for 10 days. Additional costs would include a Safari, should you want to go on one.  Please contact Rachel Herbers at rachel@highcloud.org, and cc: info@highcloud.org should you want to join us for the experience of a lifetime!

Day 1

    Arrival/Airport pick-up

Day 2

Introduction/Orientation

Visit to the schools and community projects that High Cloud Foundation has been supporting in Maasailand

Day 3

Visit to the 3 Maasai women groups and sharing ideas

Day 4

Visit the Kenya Museums, animal orphanage and Boma's of Kenya

Day 5

Goat party for the volunteers

Maasai songs and entertainment

Day 6 and 7

Volunteers and local community meet together to help construct a classroom for the rescued school children and do the school fencing.

Day 8

Open day and relaxation

Day 9

Volunteer in groups visit:

                (i) Women groups to learn and do beading artwork

                (ii) Schools and clinics

                (iii) Nature walk

Day 10

A farewell party for the volunteers

Departure date

On Saturday, September 11, at 8:00 AM, High Cloud Foundation hosts the 4th Abebe Bikila Day International Peace Half Marathon, starting at the eastern end of the C&O Canal Towpath, near the Flour Mill building at 1015 33rd Street NW in Washington DC.

Registration is now open at www.highcloud.org/20100911

This race is unlike any other in the world.  When you run, you represent your country or USA state of citizenship.  You are automatically on the team for your nation or state, top 3 count.  We present awards for both individuals (top 3 M/F and top 3 by 10-year age group) and for members of the top 3 nation/state teams.

In past years, teams have spanned the globe, but Virginia has dominated.  In 2006, VA men won, ahead of Ethiopia, Maryland, DC, California, and India; and VA women beat MD, DC, and New York.  In 2007,  Virginia won over DC, MD, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Ethiopia, and Pennsylvania.  In 2008, Virginia repeated ahead of MD, DC, PA, and France.

Maybe this will be the year for Ethiopia, or Kenya, or Cameroon, or Ireland!

We also offer a one-mile fun run for young athletes, details TBA.

Pre-race packet pickup is at Georgetown Running Company, 3401 M Street NW, Washington DC (202-337-8626) on Friday, September 10, 3:00 PM to 6 PM.

Race-day packet pickup on Saturday, September 11, 7:00 AM to 7:45 AM, is on site at the plaza east of the C&O Canal Towpath at the end of Potomac Avenue.  Park at Washington Harbor or along Water Street and walk to Potomac Street, between Wisconsin Avenue and 33rd Streets.  Walk up the big hill, and there we are.  You may also park in Georgetown and walk to Potomac Avenue, cross the footbridge over the Canal to the plaza.

In memory of the 184 victims who died at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, and the thousands more who died in New York and Pennsylvania on that day, we will ring a memorial bell 184 times before the start of the race at 7:45 AM.

In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Abebe Bikila's historic victory at the Rom Olympic Marathon on September 10, 1960, and in recognition of Ethiopian New Year's Day on September 11 each year, we host an international cultural exhibition in the area all around the race start / finish line.  Exhibitors and vendors may contact Kuki Balcha Tadesse (kukitadesse@yahoo.com, 703-928-0591).

After the race, we host international music and dance, and we welcome you to demonstrate your native cultural dance.  More info TBA.

Please join us for this unique historic race!

See
www.highcloud.org/20100911
to unite with us.


Homework:
See www.acfcoop.org/thankyous to learn to say "Thank You" in more than 100 languages.

By Megan Zingarelli

Joseph Ole Tipanko and John Kilenyi Ole Parsitau, two Maasai Kenyans and High Cloud partners, recently met with Rachel Herbers, the foundation’s liaison to Africa, in the Washington, D.C. area.  Herbers shared news from the meeting, where she caught up with the two men about the Maasai community’s recovery from deadly droughts and floods of the past year.

Read about the recent drought and floods

Tipanko and his associates at the Maasai Good Salvage Outreach Organization (MAGSA) have kept educational programs going for schoolchildren in Ntashat Village, outside of Nairobi.  In addition, they have been working on new initiatives to help the local economy thrive.  Still, their situation remains precarious.

 Facing economic challenges

The community has suffered from heavy losses of cattle during the drought and ensuing floods.  Parsitau said that 70% of the community’s cattle perished during the drought, thereby depriving many Maasai people of their only source of livelihood.  Now, grass is growing again, and the remaining cattle are eating enough, but the economic repercussions continue.

“For many who have not received education, raising cattle is the only livelihood they have ever known, and the future looks grim,” said Parsitau.  “Many do not know how to move forward and are afraid of taking out loans from the bank because of the high interest rates.”

With High Cloud’s help, plans are in the works to assuage this situation.  Tipanko and his associates at MAGSA soon hope to offer basic business classes for the community.  In this way, the organization can help people to think of creative ways to make money, buy and raise cattle, and boost morale in the community.

Another new program has been focusing on giving business opportunities to Maasai women who create beaded jewelry. MAGSA wants to enroll these women in a micro-credit program that will both give them access to capital and grow their small jewelry-making businesses.

“Joe and John and their organization know that if the mothers in the community can be empowered, then greater health and income will be the result,” said Herbers.

The women can sell their work in Kenya and elsewhere around the world.

You can view and order jewelry HERE.

Education update

For their part, the children of Ntashat Village are plugging away at their studies as they approach exams and summer break.  However, the future of their education remains uncertain after all that the community has suffered in the past year.

 “Because of the loss of livestock, the MAGSA outreach organization is very clear that even more support is needed for the school children now,” said Herbers.  “Having lost their sources of income, many families are even less able to provide the funds for exams, uniforms, shoes and backpacks--not to mention paying the salaries of the teachers.”

Parsitau said that children who do not receive money for school by September will have to sit out the term, and possibly their entire educations. 

Read more about MAGSA and its work.


From left to right, is John Kilenyi Ole Parsitau, Rachel Herbers, John Brady, Joseph Ole Tipanko. 

Herbers said, “It was such a great experience to just hear stories about their lives and to hear them talk about the differences between their experiences in the US and in Kenya, for example talking about how John misses walking because here they would be driven to the store just a half mile away where at home he regularly walks 6 miles a day.  It really was such an eye opener to listen to the causal comments they would make about the differences between our two homes.”

Hi All,

These days have been really busy with High Cloud, PeasantMan and getting back to doing some awesome rides and swims.  We are happy to report that PeasantMan sold out three weeks ago!  This includes general entries, community slots and community slots ++  Really awesome!  Also one of our PeasantMan athletes, Jennifer Yager, was our winner of a $40 gift card from Best Buy!

Regarding High Cloud, our Director of Philanthropic and Educational Programs for Kenya was in town and mentioned that the funds High Cloud provided most recently were used to buy a much needed generator.  We have a lot of programs in place to empower women in the village to create businesses and jobs through micro-finance loans.  High Cloud will also strive to continue to support the children to keep them in school as the parents will not continue to support them to go to school because they are devastated by the recent floods in the region which have killed some of their livestock.  The community is thrilled that so many athletes are racing as Ambassadors of the High Cloud children and becoming their role models.

With respect to training, these last few days have been full of adventure and activities.  we promised you that we were going to tell you what happened after our 100 mile epic ride with Hugh.  The next day (Sunday), we went to ride the Columbia course with a big group of friends.  Oh boy that was Hilly!  The best part of the day was that after the ride, we had an amazing BBQ at Centennial Park.

This is Dave and Matt BBQing as well as our Team Mates ready to devour food after our ride!  Thanks guys the BBQ was Delish!

Now last weekend, Matt and I drove down to Elizabethtown, North Carolina with a group of friends – we had an amazing time over the weekend even with the intense heat ha!  Swimming and riding was beautiful although at mile 30 our 56 mile bike ride I had to slow down as my hip was really hurting L Even though I stopped three times during the bike ride, I finished strong  Here are just a few pics of our adventurous training weekend in North Carolina:

Everyone was asking about our Snapple Gear!  Thanks to our awesome Champion Systems attire, Spiuk glasses, helmets etc!  People loved them all.  Below is a pic of us after a great ride:

By the way, Big Kudos to my Team mates with all of their great racing this past weekend!!

Now we leave you with the thought of the week:

“Man becomes great exactly in the degree in which he works for the welfare of his fellow-men.” Ghandi

Thanks for reading and good vibes for a great week!

Hello All,

On August 17th, 2009 I had an bicycle accident while I was doing the Reston Century.  What they diagnosed as a torn adductor muscle turned out to be a large pelvis fracture. Not knowing this, I remained focused and with a bit of pain I completed  Ironman Florida on November 7th.

Now, it has been 6 months after this bike accident happened and I feel much better. So this past Sunday I went ahead and ran a 10k after 6 months of not running at all.

My goal was to not be fast but to test my legs and see if the bone was actually healing. So I headed to the start line and with a bit of hesitation and courage I started running. It was an incredible feeling after not having run for 6 months; it was almost like I had to re-learn my own running techniques.

I was trying to hold a 9 mile pace and be very careful with my bone injury however after mile 4 I started feeling a bit of discomfort, not pain but a bit of pressure on the leg…so I slowed down and I continued enjoying the course, the hill, the environment and the entertainment.

When I crossed the finish line, I was more than convinced that I am a Triathlete and a Runner at heart. I had a great time enjoying the challenging course, I was very happy with the weather and very content that I was able to finish without a serious pain in my broken hip.  I really loved running in my new UA apparition running shoes which carried me to the finish line without pain and yes I drunk tons and tons of Snapple orange drink and water before and after the race!  Superb! That was the magical combination!

When I saw the results after the race, I noticed that I had held a 8:16 mile pace. Not a bad start for not having been able to run for the last six months! I was very happy and anxious to do it again!

When I finished, I went to pick up my Snapple bag and Matt and we headed to the pool for a 2 mile swim. It was a great run-swim brick!

Now I leave with you with the thought of the week which was taken from The Outliers, a book that I just finished reading:  “The people at the very top don’t just work harder or even much harder than everyone else, they work much, much harder. Achievement is talent plus preparation and opportunity”  Malcolm Gladwell.

Okay, friends, another great weekend is ahead of us! Stay tune for more updates! More fun to come!

Cheers and Hugs,

Adriana Anderson

High Cloud's work with Maasai schoolchildren in Kenya's Rift Valley Province continues, even as adverse weather continues to plague the region. The punishing drought that lasted through much of last year has ended, but the rains that have brought relief have also caused damaging floods.

Joseph Ole Tipanko, leader of the Maasai Good Salvage Outreach Organization (MAGSA) and a High Cloud partner, said floods hit his village in December and January, killing four people. Two were his students.

The Kenya Red Cross reported that heavy rains and flash floods continued into March across the country.  It said 18 people died, and at least 12,000 people were "in dire need of relief aid."  The floods caused extensive damage to property and food supplies, and precipitated fears of contamination by water-born illness.

In addition, the floods prolonged problems with the supply of livestock, which many Maasai people rely on to survive. The Red Cross said that more than 1,500 animals went missing during the flood.

Already, the drought had killed off many cows, goats, sheep, and donkeys.  The losses forced many Maasai pastoralists to leave home and school to search for fertile grazing land.  Even though the dry period has ended, the available animals not suffice to make a plentiful living.

"There is much pasture for our livestock, but few livestock are there to feed on the pasture since most of them died during the drought period," said Tipanko. "People still struggle to find what to eat since there is less milk, and cows and goats to slaughter for food, or to trade to buy the limited foodstuffs at the markets."

Despite these conditions, High Cloud and MAGSA have continued school programs aimed at improving both academic skills and self esteem.  These projects have been lending educational support and food to more than 100 children in Ntashat Village. Students have completed spring exams and have been on a break for the month of April.

Rachel Herbers, High Cloud's liaison to Africa, said that the community's ability to keep school going through harsh conditions proves its resilience and dedication to education.

"While one could imagine being devastated by these challenges, the perseverance and commitment of people like [them] to still focus on a more hopeful future is humbling," she said.

In addition, Herbers said this dire situation calls to mind how complicated the problems of developing nations can be.

"When first hearing about the droughts, I'm sure everyone was hoping and thinking, 'If only a little bit of rain would come,'" she said.  "But now we can see that the rains did come, and not only are they too late to reverse the damage in the case of the lost cattle, but the rain in itself has caused damage as well. The susceptibility to the forces of nature is so much more evident in Joseph Tipanko's case than I would ever experience in my life in America."

Hi All, what a wonderful night at the Bicycle Pro Shop in Georgetown! We met with our Team mates, had a chance to chat about our upcoming races, share some war stories of recent races and ended up buying great goodies!  Cannot wait to go back for more!  By the way, they have a great store on Duke Street in Alexandria as well (http://www.bicycleproshop.com/)

Here are some pics with all of us and Serge – he is an incredible guy!

Here is Zach big time styling our awesome Snapple Tri gear:

Now we leave you with something to think about at the end of this beautiful week:

Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other Abraham Lincoln

For Immediate Release April 12, 2010

For more information, please contact Alan Levine (571-238-1729, alan@hybridpedals.com)

PEDEGO AND BIG WHEEL BIKES TO UNVEIL NEW ECO-FRIENDLY ELECTRIC BIKE

ON THURSDAY, APRIL 22 -- EARTH DAY

(Arlington VA) -- To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day on Thursday, April 22, Big Wheel Bikes will introduce Pedego Electric Bicycles to the DC area.

"We will demonstrate Pedego's complete product line at Big Wheel Bikes, 3119 Lee Highway, in Arlington, at Lyon Village Shopping Center, from 3 PM to 7 PM on Earth Day," said Alan Levine, the Pedego distributor in Arlington, Virginia.  "We are very pleased to be aligned with Big Wheel Bikes. We feel that their 39 years in business and unmatched service makes them the perfect dealer for Pedego Electric Bikes. From Big Wheel's Arlington location, riders can easily test-ride the bikes on the Custis Trail, which offers a good combination of gentle slopes and steep uphill climbs.  Saving energy is the key to America's future, and every bike we add on the road is one less car.  We can actually take cars off the road for good."

Levine invites any official who has ever spoken about saving energy, reducing carbon footprint, or other green initiatives, to attend the unveiling.  "On Earth Day, everybody talks the talk, and some walk the walk.  Let's see who rides the ride," challenged Levine.

Pedego, based in Irvine, California, offers the highest quality and most unique electric bicycles in America. Pedego Electric Bicycles enable anyone, regardless of age, ability, or physical condition to rediscover the joy of bike riding. Pedego Electric Bicycles function as ordinary pedal bikes, but at a touch of the throttle, the zero-emissions motor silently kicks in to assist the rider to surmount even the steepest of hills. Riders can choose between pedaling, using the motor, or both. Pedego Electric Bicycles can travel distances up to 30 miles at speeds up to 20 MPH on one four-hour charge from an ordinary wall plug.  The battery is detachable for ease of charging, and the charger is similar in size to a laptop charger.  Under Federal Law, electric bikes do not require a driver's license or registration.

Eric Fingerhut, founder of International Cycling Law Association (eric.fingerhut@cyclinglaw.org) will attend to answer any legal questions about electric bicycles.  He noted that electric bicycles are legal under Federal law. "H.R. 727 is perfectly clear. If it has two or three wheels, a motor less than 750 watts and a maximum speed of less than 20 mph when ridden by a 170 pound rider, it's a bike,” he said.  “In my view, the states which require licenses and insurance for electric bikes are impeding their acceptance and usage by the general public and, in essence, preventing Americans from reducing their carbon footprint."

One of Pedego's models, the patented Umbrella Folding Bike, folds up in one second.  When folded, Umbrella Folding Bikes are small enough to carry in the trunk of a car, store in a closet, or roll onto a train.  "This bike is very powerful, and the easy folding feature makes it perfect for commuters, boaters, RV owners, or anyone who can't store a full sized bike," said Alan Levine, co-founder of Hybrid Pedals, the DC area distributor of Pedego Electric Bicycles.  "All of our e-bikes offer a fun, smooth and stylish ride."  Pedego also offers a full-sized beach-cruiser-style bike, available in a wide array of color choices.

"We like to call it recreational exercise. Boomers love this bike because of the ease of riding and the fact that they can ride longer distances and not be afraid of hills," Levine added.  "Every person who goes for a ride comes back with an ear to ear grin."  Pedego Electric Bicycles are manufactured to last, using high quality beand-name components. Both models are designed for urban transportation or recreational exercise.

In particular, Pedego Electric Bicycles are ideal for persons with health issues, such as heart or respiratory issues, or other conditions that would prevent them from riding a regular bicycle.  "Pedego Electric Bicycles are also a good choice for amputees or wounded warriors who want to get back on their bikes," said Levine.

According to Don DiCostanzo, founder of Pedego (don@pedego.com), "Electric bikes are helping people of all ages get back on bicycles and coincide with this country's need to get more fit."

Big Wheel Bikes has locations in Alexandria, Arlington, Bethesda, Georgetown, and Potomac.  Big Wheel Bikes will serve as the official repair and maintenance center for the innovative new Pedego Electric Bicycles. For more information about Big Wheel Bikes, see www.bigwheelbikes.com  

In particular, the new Pepsi Pedego bike for food delivery will be unveiled.

Among the invitees are Arlington County board members, Virginia State Assembly members, Washington DC City Council members, and DC Mayor Adrian Fenty, an avid cyclist.

The Italian Store, next door to Big Wheel Bikes, will provide refreshments and food.  Dr. Delivery, an Arlington-based multi-restaurant delivery company, will provide live entertainment during the unveiling.

For more information about the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, see

www.earthday.org/campaigns/official-earth-day-2010-campaign

For more information about Pedego Electric Bikes, and the unveiling, see www.hybridpedals.com

Author: Patrick Montjourides published on UNESCO In an effort to understand the disparities in education both within countries and throughout the world, UNESCO created this view that displays the distribution of children ages 17-22 with less than 4 years of schooling.

About this Viz The vertical black lines represent the average education poverty (children with less than four years of schooling) for each country. The orange bars specify the differences in education poverty within population groups (Wealth, Language, Ethnicity, etc.). A very wide orange bar shows a group with high education marginalization. Take C.A.R. for example: although education poverty averages an astoundingly high 89% (89% of all children 17-22 have less than 4 years of schooling), the orange bars span less than 15% so we can tell that there are relatively small disparities between groups in the country. Conversely, in Niger only 30% of the wealthiest group is in education poverty while over 90% of the poorest group is.

Hi All, this is an amazing interactive graph that displays all HI Ironman finishers over time broken up by average and fastest. If you interact with it a little, you will see how close the average Ironman athlete is now with the fast pack...definitely a huge competition in the swim. Should we say that strong cyclists and runners may be the determining factor in the difference between an average Ironman athlete and the fast pack? Maybe it is a combination of natural ability, preparation, opportunity and a great spirit. Now we leave you with the thought of the week: When you want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that your wish comes true Paulo Coelho