UPDATE WEEK OF 1/12: Thanks to the generous team of family and friends who have supported by fundraising drive since last year - including purchasing products from my online Equal Exchange store, purchasing some of my original design cards, giving monetary donations, and so much more - I have reached my initial fundraising goals!
I will be heading up to the Kroka base camp on Mon. Jan. 19th, where I will meet the rest of the students and teachers who will be my expedition mates on this journey. On Sat. Feb. 7th, we all depart on x-country skis for about 2 months on the trail up through VT and into Quebec (about 300 miles). After that, it's all downhill (ha!), as we head back towards Kroka base camp by canoe, and then finishing the final leg of the whole adventure by bicycle. I will be back at Kroka base camp sometime in late May (for about 2 weeks), culminating in a graduation ceremony on Sat. June 13th. Anyone is welcome to attend this ceremony, so feel free to come up to the beautiful Kroka base camp on that day if you wish! Contact my mom at [email protected] for details.
Click here to read the whole itinerary:
http://www.kroka.org/semester/semester_vt_description.shtml
At this point, there are still some things you can do to help support me on my adventure:
1. Send me a card to say 'bon voyage' with your own personal well wishes before I leave on Jan. 19th. Send any cards to:
Sam Armstrong-Champ
278 Allen Rd.
Ashby, MA 01431
Be sure that your card arrives by Sat. Jan. 17th so that I get it before I leave for base camp. A little inspiration goes a long way! (And if something arrives here after that date, my parents will make sure that it gets forwarded to the base camp so I can get it there.)
2. Drop me a line while I'm away. While I won't receive any of your emails, texts, or phone calls while I'm on the expedition, mail will reach me if you write to me using the base camp address as follows, using this format:
Kroka Expediitions
ATTN: Sam Armstrong-Champ
767 Forest Rd.
Marlow, NH 03456
NOTE: I will receive any mail that you send to base camp from Mon. Jan. 19th through Sat. June 13th. Mail will be received daily from 1/19 to 2/7. I will be leaving base camp on 2/7, so after that, mail will be brought to students on the trail approximately every 2 weeks (when supplies are packed in and out) until we return to base camp in late May. Then I will receive mail daily again until 6/13. All to say, it may take a little time for me to get your letter, so please be patient!
3. Follow the adventures of the whole Vermont Semester Expedition crew by subscribing to their blog!
The blog is located here: http://krokavermontsemester2015.blogspot.com/
You can either try to subscribe by clicking on the 'subscribe to' link at the bottom of the blog page. If you encounter any trouble subscribing, please contact Emily at Kroka by sending her an email at [email protected] and asking her to subscribe you.
(We have been told that the latter is the way that folks may need to subscribe, though you can also try to subscribe on your own.)
4. We will still accept monetary donations through Sat. Feb. 7th!
We are still accepting funds to be applied towards the remaining tuition fees. I was able to raise the first half of the tuition through earnings and fundraising efforts. I will be selling my car (well, my parents will, while I am away) to help pay the second half, but it will fall slightly short of the overall goal. In addition, there are also other misc. fees, including land use fees (giving something back to folks who allow the students to use their land as they go), and fees towards a certification course in Wilderness First Aid. Any additional donations will certainly help, and are very much appreciated! Every little bit helps!
Donations in any amount may be sent to my mom (at our home address above - see #1). Please do not send funds to Kroka!
Checks should be made out to my mom (Brenda Armstrong-Champ). All funds will be deposited into an account in her name, and will be applied directly to remaining fees.
5. My mom will be a vendor at a school winter carnival this season in an attempt to sell the remaining inventory of my original design cards. Come by if you'd like some cards, or just to say hello!
The fair will be at the Sky View Middle School in Leominster, MA on Sat. Jan. 24th from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Click here to learn more about the winter carnival!
That's it! Thanks to all of you for helping to support my adventure!, and please feel free to check back here for any updates that might possibly be added from January to June. We won't be sending out any more emails to folks, so you will need to check back here on your own to find out if there's anything new, OK?
Copyright 2014-2015 Sam Armstrong-Champ/Designs by Champ. All Rights Reserved.