Hey Folks,

People have been replying to this email as it looks like a scam. Well, it's not. I am REALLY trying to do a fundraising trek for The Green Belt Movement. Wangari Maathai is a Noble Peace Prize winner and she started this organization to create positive changes for women and the environment. So please read on...

This year has been marked with some wonderful and new challenges. In the start of July I took my first mountaineering course with the National Outdoor Leadership School in Alaska. It was a rewarding experience and I gained so much insight into myself. That course was partly done in preparation for a charity event involving a trek on Mt. Kenya.

I found out about this trek to raise money for the Green Belt Movement after reading a book called, "Unbowed." It is about Wangari Maathai, the woman who started this fundraising organization to help empower rural women of Kenya as well as replant millions of indigenous trees in the Kenyan forest acting as part of the "lungs of the world."

I was so moved by how accomplished Maathai was and all the obstacles she surmounted in her life while working to bring more democratic visions and a better environment to Kenya. By creating the Green Belt Movement, she dedicated all her energy to encouraging the rural communities to stand up for themselves and their land. She taught these communities how to raise species of trees indigenous to local forests and how to record the germination and successful transfer and growth of these seedlings. This system has given work to many woman and has helped to replenish MILLIONS of trees that have been lumbered! I cannot help but to want to align myself with such a movement and such a passionate and dedicated woman! 

The Mt. Kenya trek is taking place at the end of October and time is pressing as I need to raise close to $4000 by mid-August and then another $2000 just prior to the trek date. Whew! I know it is a huge undertaking, but I believe in adventure and just going for it especially when there are good intentions at heart. I hope you will find it in yourself to sponsor me as the money raised by participating in this event will go towards the Green Belt Movement's efforts to continue to empower women, promote democracy and save the planet. Thank you for sharing in this experience with me. 

You can check out The Green Belt Movement site to learn more.

p.s. The rest of this is just spiel from the Just Giving site...

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.