29029 EVERESTING
THE CHALLENGE: HIKE 29,029 FEET (THE EQUIVALENT OF MT. EVEREST) IN A 36-HOUR WINDOW AND RAISE $30,000 TO BUILD A NEW JOB SKILLS TRAINING CENTER IN NEPAL
29029 EVERESTING is unlike other challenges. It is you against you, hiking the equivalent elevation of Mt. Everest in a 36-hour window. It breaks down like this: Hike up the mountain, ride the gondola down, repeat until you’ve climbed 29,029 feet. Each ascent is 2.3 miles with 2310 vertical feet. 13 ascents and 29 miles are needed to complete the challenge at Snowbasin Resort, near Ogden, Utah.
THE FUNDRAISER:
I recalled a conversation with Usha, founder of Eternal Hope International from early 2022. She expressed to me her dream of building a job skills training center for graduating students to advance their training in several occupations. I remember thinking, "I am climbing nearly 30,000 feet. Why not raise $30,000 to help fund the job skills training center?" It just made sense. My confidence soared thinking I could raise this money. Not because I am seasoned in fundraising, but because the cause is so great and I truly believed it could and would be achieved. My excitement grew and I began putting together the fundraising platform, writing the message and designing the sponsorship deck. In late May, the fundraising site was launched. This is when the real work began!
SIMILAR PLAN MADE WITH EARTH BAG CONSTRUCTION
Usha and Randall had been envisioning a building much like this, to give impoverished Nepali students and families new opportunities in career training.
“I believe that personal development is a right, a journey and one’s duty. ”
THE NEWS STORY
Bringing awareness to the fundraiser was critical, so I was so grateful to the St. George News for sharing the message. The fundraiser did receive donations and further validated the project to companies considering sponsorship. Thank you to Jessi Bang for doing such a great job telling the story! Read full article here.
Courtesy of St. George News. Reporter: Jessi Bang,
Hiking Videos provided by Jack Turner, Ninety Eight Studios
Combining 29029 Everesting with a $30,000 fundraiser sometimes had me laughing at myself and asking, "Really? You couldn't just train hard, go climb 13 ascents and be happy to experience an event of that magnitude? Instead, you've made A LOT more work for yourself, setting up a fundraising site, creating content, strategizing ways to share the message, reaching out to numerous businesses, friends, family and clients nearly everyday. Creating posts multiple times a week, sharing this story with anyone who seems interested, and wondering if people will feel connected to the vision."
I saw their faces. I believe in their potential. They are hungry to learn, hungry to grow. The Nepali families living on less than $3.00 per day know that if given access to real job skills, they could shift their focus from just surviving, to growing beyond the societal and economic limitations they were born into. They could break the chains of poverty and afford a life outside the slums. They could also begin contributing to their community as a school teacher for Eternal Hope, start a small business or get into the hospitality/tourism industry.
So no... I couldn't be content or happy to just do the hike. In the core of my being, I know more is expected of me. I am healthy, I am fit. I have had an education, coaches, mentors, and opportunities too numerous to list. I have connections, resources, passion and am determined. I am connected to these people and feel compelled to serve. As the days drew nearer to the event, I realized that working on behalf of the impoverished families in Nepal was the most important work I could be doing. Raising $30,000 sometimes felt as lofty as climbing Everest, but I knew without a doubt, that it would be attained.
THE MATCH
This part of the story is profoundly cool. The efforts made by so many to share my story was making an enormous impact on the fundraiser. Then a recommendation was made to my sister-in-law that I reach out to doTerra’s Healing Hands department, as they have a match program for project-based fundraisers. I quickly emailed the contact and began the application process. 29029 was 11 days away. I awaited processing and approval. 3 days before the event, I received doTerra’s email saying they would match my fundraiser up to $15,000! If I could get about $5,000 more, we would hit the threshold we needed.
29029 EVERESTING
I was comfortably snuggled on my cot, in my canvas tent the night before the event, but my sleep was less than great. Adrenaline was surging through my veins and my mind was busy. There were also a number of participants snoring in adjacent tents. I stepped out of my tent around 2:30am to use the bathroom and encountered a fox. It was curiously looking at me and acting playful until it lost interest. I took it as a good sign. My alarm sounded at 4:00 am and it was time to get ready!
The 36-hour countdown began on Friday, Aug. 19 at 6:00am. The 250+ headlamps were not the only things glowing that morning on the steep hillside. The energy was buzzing and everyone was beaming with excitement. With all of us facing the steep ski run ahead, 29029 Co-Founder, Colin O’Brady, gave us a pep-talk that solidified our commitment to leave it all on the mountain. We counted down the seconds and then began the steady climb up as a large group, ready to see what we were made of.
Between individual and business donations, the fundraiser had raised just over $12,000. My resolve and body were strong. I was going to hike my heart out, post videos along the way and hopefully raise that dollar amount to $15,000 as to receive that full match from DoTerra!
HIKING 13 ASCENTS
Wow, I felt great! All cylinders were firing, my pace was strong and I was loving every minute. The first 1.75 miles were very steep. It was a grind, and then the course veers off to a jeep road that while is still climbing, is less steep and my pace picked up there to the top. Upon reaching the top, there were event volunteers cheering us on and an aid station stocked with various food and beverage to aid us on the gondola ride down.
Ascent 3 and 8 felt sluggish compared to the others, but I kept an average ascent time of an hour and 10 minutes. My goal was to climb 8-9 ascents that first day. We ended up having a substantial storm that took out the electrical on the gondola for 3 hours and lightning which made us shelter in place. I had been soaked in the rain on ascent 6, but after getting to the base with dry clothes and dinner, I knocked out number 7. Another lightning delay was announced so I called it a night. I climbed into my bed at midnight and awoke 5 hours later. Feeling refreshed, it was time to eat and climb those last 6 ascents.
During ascent 9, my husband Dave informed me that his sister was interested in making a sizable donation. Other donations were trickling in and I was completely overwhelmed at the realization of it all. As I began to top out on Ascent 9, the tears streamed down my face. I was visualizing the Nepali families. I was seeing the job skills training center as a massive opportunity for growth and advanced training. My goal was met. We had crossed the $15,000 threshold. I couldn’t speak.
Ascent 10 was also a special one, as some of my kids and friends made it up to the event. Sharing those moments with them is something I will always remember. They met me at the top of ascent 10 and were there for the remainder of the event.
THE FINISH
Throughout my training I had envisioned myself reaching the top for the 13th time, proudly holding up the Nepali flag. When the actual time came, I was overcome with emotion as I realized the magnitude of it all. The donations had climbed right along with me, topping out just over $19,000 by the time I finished climbing. With DoTerra’s $15,000 matching donation through the Healing Hands program, we raised $34,022! Tears of joy flooded my eyes as I felt nothing but love, gratitude and excitement. Words cannot adequately express my joy for the opportunities and growth about to come to eager families living in the slums in Nepal.
THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERY SPONSOR AND DONOR. YOU ALL WERE MY TEAM OF “OUTREACH ENTHUSIASTS!” THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN ME, FOR BELIEVING IN THE CAUSE AND FOR GIVING OPPORTUNITY TO THOSE NEEDING SOMEONE TO BELIEVE IN THEM. TOGETHER, WE ARE EMPOWERING NEPALI STUDENTS TO REALIZE THEIR OWN POTENTIAL AND PURPOSE. PROJECT INFORMATION WILL BE POSTED AS THE UPDATES BECOME AVAILABLE.
NAMASTE,
— DAYNA BOSHARD AND ETERNAL HOPE INTERNATIONAL
Video Credit: Jack Turner and Ninety Eight Studios
THANK YOU TO ALL MY SPONSORS AND TO ALL WHO DONATED, MAKING THIS POSSIBLE…
DoTerra Essential Oils, Coral Canyon Builders, Paige Apparel, Ninety Eight Studios, Gibson Look Apparel, Fordham Construction, Moto Zoo, Delta V Technologies, Next Level Service and Repair, Liquid Death, LMNT Electrolytes
VISIT ETERNAL HOPE INTERNATIONAL TO FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN SPONSOR A CHILD OR A PROJECT.