Barnardos GRAND CANYON TREK 2012 2 - 9 June nd

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Challenge yourself and raise funds to help change a child’s life. Call 1850 222 300 or Text TREK to 51444 for more information. www.barnardos.ie

Itinerary DAY 1 DEPARTURE We depart Dublin and arrive in Las Vegas. On arrival we are met by our local team and transferred to our hotel for the night. Tonight we have free time to get a little insight into the nonstop life of Las Vegas. DAY 2 THE COLORADO RIVER 10 km This morning we leave early and transfer over the incredible Hoover Dam into the Lake Mead National Park for our acclimatisation walk. The area is surrounded by the Cebrat Mountains to the south and the Black Mountains on the southern shore of Lake Mead. Tonight we will be staying along the famous Route 66 within the Coconinio National Park where we have a full briefing on the challenge. DAY 3 THE GRAND CANYON 16 km For our first full day on the trails we start early and head into the Hualapai Indian Reserve and the trailhead, that overlooks the Grand Canyon. As we descend we have incredible views of the Colorado river snaking it’s way along the Canyon floor. From the rim height of 1650m we descend to 980m and by early afternoon we should arrive at the village of Supai and from there the lovely remote trails take us past the two waterfalls of Havasu and Navajo Falls. We have a great camp meal in the evening and spend our first night under canvas. DAY 4 MOONEY FALLS 14 km After an early hearty breakfast in camp we will be well fuelled for the tough trek ahead. We begin with a fairly flat start before we are confronted with our first challenge, the descent of Mooney Falls. We continue down the canyon, crossing creeks three times before the next fork in our trail, where if we are feeling adventurous we will opt for the ‘wet route’ to Beaver Falls, there we will have the option of swimming through the ‘green room’ to an underwater pocket accessed by swimming beneath the first tier of the waterfall. Once we emerge from the ‘green room’ we will discover the canyon’s secrets and gain the courage to jump the 5m from the main falls into the frothy pool below. Once at the base we will meet with the other members of our group who decided to stay

This itinerary is protected by in the Irish Republic by Aviation Regulation Licence TA0297

high and dry! Our guides spend a large portion of the year in Havasupai, giving them plenty of time to scout exciting off the beaten track options that are both daring and safe, travelling with them will give us a great opportunity to see and do things few have discovered! Return back to our base camp and a well deserved traditional dinner! DAY 5 NAVAJO FALLS 15 km Today’s challenge takes us up canyon to a hidden side cleft in the cliff wall where we will be guided to the Tonto Platform, a broad rocky terrace between the Supai sandstone and the red wall limestone. Reaching this bench, although tough going and rocky in places affords views missed from below including classic sweeping Grand Canyon vistas all the way to the North Rim and bird’s eye views of Havasu and Mooney Falls. After a good lunch we hit a side trail to Carbonate Canyon, a narrow side canyon where minors from the early 1900’s found precious minerals within the canyon walls. The geology of this area is fascinating, and we will find fossils of sea creatures who once occupied this area of now dry land and see evidence of flash floods which have carved this chasm. From here, it’s a long ascent to Navajo Falls. A spectacular set of hidden waterfalls and a little stop for more waterfall jumping before we head back to our base camp! This evening there will be an option to have a special blessing ceremony by a tribal traditionalist. DAY 6 LAS VEGAS 14 km The last day of our amazing challenge, we leave the magic scenery of the canyon behind as we have a tough, but exhilarating trek back up to the canyon’s rim. Once at the top, we will be met by our vehicles and transferred back to Las Vegas. Tonight we will celebrate our achievements with a Vegas-style gala dinner! DAY 7 OVERNIGHT FLIGHT TO IRELAND Today we have the day free to enjoy the sights and sounds of Las Vegas. In the afternoon we transfer to the airport for our return flight to the UK. DAY 8 ARRIVE DUBLIN

These are complicated itineraries and may be subject to change.

Who Will I be Helping? Your foot steps will help the most vulnerable children in Ireland to find their feet in life. Children like Jake… Jake is two. His family has been homeless for most of his life, moving from hostel to hostel. They now have a place of their own, but it’s cold, damp and badly in need of repair. Jake’s mum suffers from serious physical and mental health problems. As a result she’s never really cared for Jake properly, or developed a bond with him. Because of this, Jake’s 7 year-old sister, Caitlin has taken on the role of his mother. She looks after him and cares for him as a mother would, though she’s still just a child herself. Jake lives in a troubled area where drug and street violence are rife. There are no safe places for him or his sister to play outside. Jake was severely malnourished when we first met him. He had little or no emotional attachment to his parents, and was behind in his speech, language and learning ability. There is also a history of addiction to drink and drugs in Jake’s family. Not surprisingly, this has badly affected the development and day-to-day welfare of Jake and his sister. Judging by the smile on Jake’s little face, you’d think that the two year-old is a happy little boy. But nothing could be further from the truth. Jake smiles all the time. It’s his reaction to everything. He smiles if you give him a toy and he smiles if you take it away from him again. If someone shouts at him, he smiles back. Even the day he caught his finger in the door, he didn’t cry… he smiled. Why? Because Jake has been so starved of affection and emotional care, that he simply doesn’t know the difference between happy and sad. Jake smiles because he’s learned it’s the safest thing to do. After all, no one gives out to a smiling child. Then Jake started coming to Barnardos. We worked with him, his sister and his mum and dad to ensure that the whole family got the care they needed. Jake started one-to-one sessions with Eilish, his Barnardos Project Worker and has developed a trusting relationship with her. Already he’s showing promising signs with his emotional responses… frowning when he’s cross, crying when he’s sad and smiling when he’s happy. This may seem like a small step but it’s a major breakthrough for a little boy who never trusted anyone. Jake’s mum and dad are determined to be better parents and through our intensive parenting skills courses they are leaning valuable tools to develop their natural strengths to create a loving and caring family unit. While Jake and his family have made significant progress since coming to Barnardos, we will continue working with them for as long as the need is there.

About Barnardos Barnardos is Ireland’s leading children’s charity. Each year we work directly with over 5,000 children and families throughout Ireland. Barnardos wants to make Ireland the best place to live for all children. That’s why we believe in campaigning and advocating for children everywhere. No two children are the same but the children Barnardos deals with have one thing in common. They could otherwise be forgotten by society. We want to live in an Ireland where no child gets left behind and we will do everything in our power to make this happen. Our aim is to inject hope into what sometimes seems like a hopeless situation. We operate in over 40 Barnardos centres in communities across Ireland. We see the devastating effects poverty has on children like Jake every single day. We work face-to-face, day by day, making real tangible improvements to their lives. We work with families to improve parenting skills and tackle issues such as poverty, domestic abuse, addiction and the impact these problems have on children. Barnardos’ work is about helping children make the most of their lives, regardless of what they are up against. Even though a lot of our work happens at a local level we also provide much needed support through a variety of central services such as our bereavement counselling service for children and our Barnardos' Training and Resource Service. We don’t give up on children like Jake. We don’t give up on any child.

I’m interested what do I need to do? To take part in this amazing experience, we ask you to raise €4600. With our ongoing support and some clever ideas you will be able to hit this target. Funds raised from this trip will go towards the vital work that Barnardos provides for families and children throughout Ireland. The Barnardos Grand Canyon Challenge is a challenge both in the physical preparation and in the fundraising required, but we will provide you with ongoing support. Please see below for some fundraising ideas that last year’s participants used to reach their fundraising target! ▪ Abseiling ▪ Auctions ▪ Bag packing at local supermarkets ▪ Barbeques ▪ Bike tours ▪ Bingo ▪ Bungee jumping ▪ Casino night ▪ Exhibitions ▪ Fancy dress ball ▪ Fashion Show ▪ Film show ▪ Five-a-side football match ▪ Gala evening ▪ Golf tournament ▪ Head shave ▪ Marathons ▪ Music recitals ▪ Parachute jumps ▪ Pub Quiz ▪ Race night ▪ Raffles ▪ Street collections ▪ Table quiz ▪ Theme evening

‘The Barnardos treks have been fantastic and I would recommend anyone take part. You’ll return feeling tired, fulfilled, excited about new friendships and proud that you have played a part in improving the outcomes for vulnerable children in Ireland.’ Paul O’Reilly, Barnardos trekker 2008/09

FAQ’s

HOW MUCH DO I HAVE TO PAY? 1. Secure your place for only €300. 2. €4300 is the balance due 10 weeks prior to departure. This includes your donation to Barnardos. WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE COST? All flights, transfers, accommodation, full medical support, experienced guides, porters for personal equipment, camping gear and all National Park entrance fees. An Action Challenge representative will be on hand to support you every step of the way. All your food is included apart from during free time. Nutritious meals will be provided for you in the hotel and at camp, with a packed lunch on trekking days and 3 litres of drinking water each day. It also includes a series of training walks in the Leinster and Munster region, led by trained guides. WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED? You are responsible for obtaining your own visa and personal travel insurance. Local departure tax (n/a currency), meals and drinks in free time, tips for Tanzanian local support staff/guides, spending money and items of a personal nature DO I NEED TO BE FIT? This is a considerable challenge and requires a good level of fitness. WHERE WILL I SLEEP? Accommodation will be a mixture of hotels and camping whilst on the trek. WHAT WILL THE WEATHER BE LIKE? Summer temperatures on the South Rim are relatively pleasant,14-27C but inner canyon temperatures can be more extreme. DO I NEED SPECIAL EQUIPMENT? A comfortable pair of walking boots! We will send you a full kit and equipment list upon registration so you are well prepared.

Note: Terms and conditions apply

Thank you for signing up to our overseas trek! Name of Challenge

Barnardos Grand Canyon Trek 2012

Date of Challenge

2nd – 9th June 2012

Fundraising Target

€4600

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Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of you return to Ireland. Please enclose one passport sized photo with your name clearly printed on the back. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION All accommodation will be shared and single sex. Is there someone you wish to share with?

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Conditions of Entry & Declaration

Conditions of Entry & Declaration Continued...

www.barnardos.ie