Adam-Jackson

In late January, I announced that I’d be climbing a mountain. Well, I may not be able to do that now. The full, $4,500 is due to Climbing for Kids on Tuesday to be able to qualify for the climb. I’ll be about $2,000 short after I give what’s left of my paycheck after paying rent.

I cancelled my iPad 3G order to make this deadline but I’m still short. I didn’t go on any business trips since December other than my pre-payed and pre-panned trip to Florida in March. I trained, lost 30 pounds and even moved to a part of San Francisco with steep hills and a convenient gym so I could prepare for this climb.

I stopped drinking lattes and other high fat drinks. Haven’t had a soda in months. I was and am fully committed to the mid-June climb of Mount Shasta.

No one else believed in me. Well, maybe that’s a bit harsh. About 8 people did including a woman who I’ve known for 8 years now via the web, for which I’ve never met. Her $500 donation meant a lot to me.

I asked my martial arts family who I’ve been training with for nearly 20 years. Nothing. I asked my family who loves me and has supported me for years. Mom and Dad gave which did help.

My emails and phone calls to my 75+ person family yielded one $15 donation from a family member outside of Mom and Dad.

That’s it.

So, it’s 5 days before deadline and I’ve raised $1,150 of the $4,500 needed leaving a remainder of $3350 needed to meet my goal which I pledged in January that I’d raise. That $1,150 that I did raise, actually includes $500 that I had to donate in order to join the program and be recognized as a climber.

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I have until July to pay off my balance. It’s a situation where I sign a contract committing to paying this. By July, I can pay this. I make enough that if I don’t leave my house for 3 months, the $3,000 can be done. This means I’ll be going from work to home w/o ever going out until July and I’ll be able to pay this off.

However, paying in July means I didn’t make the climb. I wouldn’t be able to climb the mountain which is why I did this, why I did this training and why I signed up.

This is a bit saddening. It’s for the kids so they get the money I promised to raise. There’s no backing out on raising money. I’m fully contractually obligated to “give” $4,500 so that’s that. But, I’ll be unable to make the Mt. Shasta climb unless I raise the $4,500 by Tuesday which is completely impossible.

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All I can say, is that it was a good ride. I made a good effort but, at 23 I just don’t have the network of wealthy friends who can donate money. I wish I could return the money you all gave but remember that money is going to a good cause and now I just have to skip meals and skip buying a car so I can pay off the money that I promised. If I don’t, it goes to collections and you know that’s never good.

Thanks everyone for your support. Here’s the donate link if anyone has $5 to spare. https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=323924&supId=277262371

You can read more about the program here. http://www.climbingforkids.org/