Baldock fundraiser approaches halfway point of 3,100-mile charity hike from Mexico to Canada

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Joel Strickland from Baldock looks out across the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. Picture: Joe Boot
A pair of students hiking 3,100 miles from Mexico to Canada have now raised more than £1,000 for charity – as they approach the halfway point of their great American odyssey.
Joel Strickland and Joe Boot, somewhere in Colorado. Picture: Joel Strickland

Baldock’s Joel Strickland, 25, is tackling the Continental Divide Trail south to north across the United States along with his friend Joe Boot, 23, in aid of mental health charity MQ and the University of Leicester’s widening participation programme.

Their progress along the five-month route has been slowed by the biggest snowfall in 20 years – and as of Tuesday morning the intrepid pair are just approaching Berthoud Falls in the Rocky Mountains, about 30 miles west of Denver and more than 1,000 miles into their journey.

Speaking to the Comet from Colorado, Joel said: “We’d like to stress the record-breaking snowfall in 20 years, and the harsh weather which made us come off the San Juan mountains and take a lower route.

“It’s been so difficult to stay motivated on some days – but how happy we are to have reached over £1,000 for our charities, and to have hiked more than 1,000 miles.

“Postholing in the snow – where your foot just falls through – really does slow down the days, and adds extra mental and physical challenges in Colorado. In the San Luis pass in the Rio Grande national forest – one of the most difficult parts of the trail – we were postholing up to our waists.

“We went to an elevation of 3,800m, had snowshoes on and still postholed. We managed about 12 miles this day, compared to our usual 20.

“The snow in general adds an extra physical and mental dimension. The altitude was difficult to adjust to at the beginning, but we’re used to it now.

“We’re having to navigate with no trail in the snow, which is hard and adds an extra navigational challenge.

Joel Strickland straps on his snow shoes at San Luis pass in Colorado. Picture: Joe Boot

“Everyone has been so friendly and welcoming to us here in the USA – and though I’m eating more than 4,000 calories a day, I’ve lost about 20 pounds in two months!

“We’re looking forward to the rest of the trip and the beautiful scenery that awaits us.”

Aeronautical engineering PhD student Joel, who went to Hartsfield Primary and Knights Templar schools in Baldock, said before leaving for America that he had always dreamed of being a “modern-day pioneer” and conquering nature.

He and Joe are being guided to the Canadian border by a special GPS called Frodo, which also allows supporters to see where they are online in near-real time.

Joel Strickland and Joe Boot at Cumbres Pass, on the border of New Mexico and Colorado, after completing mile 800. Picture: Joel Strickland

To follow the guys’ progress or make a donation, see http://ift.tt/2slvZAj and joelandjoewalkthecdt.wordpress.com.

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Looking At Finding Good Charities In Denver

One of the most encouraging things you can find is a city that is willing to not only re-invest in itself but also help out those who are most at need in the community. There are many sayings and beliefs about being able to judge the quality of an area by how they treat their most vulnerable, and that’s why it’s encouraging to know that there are many great Denver-based charities that do their best to make life better for people who are down on their luck or struggling.

The question isn’t whether or not you can find a good charity to work with or volunteer with (donate to) but which one you want to assist.

The Homeless
There are multiple charities that focus on helping the homeless from guiding them to mental health care (for those who need it) to providing meals, shelter, job opportunities, clothing, and more. There are so many needs that both individual homeless people as well as homeless families have and many Denver charities looking to provide for those needs.

Food Banks & Impoverished Assist
Almost all of us have been in a situation where we were a bit short on food money for the week. Food banks from churches, city groups, and other charitable organizations give a wide array of options to help fill the pantry and get some food for the next week or couple weeks.

For some charities the help goes beyond food and can include things like diapers, children’s clothing, and some of the odds and ends that are so important for a reasonable quality of life.

Wide Array Of Other Charities
There are many other charities that cover a broad range of needs from free education and job skills to working on local parks to setting up local functions and more. Take a look at what is offered and see which one fits with what you want to support.

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Eric Trump’s Charity Is Being Investigated For Alleged Misuse Of Funds

New York’s Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is looking into the Eric Trump Foundation for potential misuse of funds after a Forbes article detailed some pretty jarring accusations.

The outlet published an article Tuesday saying money raised at a charity event in September was grossly mishandled.

Forbes says the Eric Trump Foundation received a $100,000 donation from the Donald J. Trump Foundation. The magazine says that money was then used to pay a Trump property for charity expenses.

That looks like self-dealing, which is illegal.

The New York state attorney general’s office has been investigating the president’s foundation for months, but spurred by Forbes’ reporting, it’s now looking into the Eric Trump Foundation.

Eric Trump said on Twitter he raised over $16 million for terminally sick kids. His spokesperson told media outlets, "At no time did the Trump Organization profit in any way from the foundation or any of its activities."

The Trump Foundation has previously admitted to violating rules against self-dealing.

Last year, The Washington Post reported Trump used charity money for some questionable purposes, including to buy a 6-foot portrait of himself.

Trending stories at Newsy.com

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Rain doesn’t wash away annual Denver Day of Rock festival

Rain dampened downtown Denver’s streets but not its spirits Saturday evening, as an eclectic mix of bands and an energy driven by charity shook off the gloom for the eighth annual Denver Day of Rock festival.

Organizers expected about 100,000 people to listen to bands or sample from food trucks spread out along the 16th Street Mall. The concerts were free to listen to, but proceeds from food and drinks plus any added donations went to the event’s organizer, a nonprofit organization called Amp the Cause that provides grants and assistance to more than 50 charities that benefit children in the Denver area. Recipients have included Children’s Hospital Colorado and the Tennyson Center for Children, among many others.

Amp the Cause hoped to raise $250,000 this year, making the festival its largest fund-raiser of the year.

“It’s a chance to bring the community together and shed some light on the work the nonprofits are doing,” said Keri Kallaway, Amp the Cause’s executive director.

And if a few raindrops fall on that community, as they did Saturday?

“We’ve had bad weather before and it just doesn’t seem to turn people away,” Kallaway said.

Indeed, crowds thronged 16th Street Mall, moving between stages set about every other block. There were country bands, blues, roots, zydeco. The Mary Louis Lee Band, the group fronted by Denver Mayor Michael Hancock’s wife, played a set.

Toddlers rocked out. Dads shimmied in dad jeans. Moms bobbed along from beneath Gore-Tex hoods.

“This is really all about the kids today,” local DJ Chuck St. John, serving as an emcee at one stage, shouted out to the crowd.

And Stephanie Welsh, the executive director of the Resource Area for Teaching, was on hand to assure that that was in fact the case.

Welsh’s group, also known as RAFT, provides steeply discounted educational supplies to teachers, who otherwise might have to pay much more out of pocket to get the classroom materials they need. The organization benefits from Amp the Cause’s support. But, as she smiled amid the sprinkles Saturday, Welsh was thinking more about the Day of Rock festival’s broader significance for the city.

“Everybody can come out and participate,” she said. “And then if you want to contribute to charity, you can do that. But if not, you can still be a part of this community.”

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