From Pole to Pole for the kids
Zug, January 2010
Dear Friends,
In April 2009, I finally stood at the top of the world: The North Pole.
It was for me the realisation of two dreams: to do something spectacular (or foolhardy) enough to gain the attention, curiosity (and ultimately the support) of all my kind sponsors and thus help me raise substantial funds needed to build The Ranger Foundation School and Therapy Centre; and secondly to stand somewhere that so few have been before, reached under my own (frozen) steam.
When I reached the South Pole in December 2007, I was so overwhelmed with the moment that I cried my eyes out. I had not really known what lay ahead when I headed South, and by the time I did realise the gargantuan task I had set myself, it was far too late to go back in defeat to my supporters with my tail between my legs. Instead, I kept-on plodding ahead day after day, always further Southwards until ultimately I reached my goal.
My trek to the North Pole was totally different, I was better prepared for what lay ahead and felt ready to meet the considerable toil head-on. I already knew of the shifting ice floes divided by massive ridges of shattered ice, some with precariously balanced ice blocks each as big as a car. A labyrinthine chaos of barricades through which we must warily tread our way to our goal. I also knew that we would sometimes encounter open water where the ice floes had split under the extraordinary forces lurking just beneath them.
Of course, there are other ways to reach the North Pole; by helicopter, dogs, even submarine, but there was only one way for me to achieve my goal. By pulling my own sled – “manhauling”. Dragging my own food, equipment, being jointly responsible for my and my team’s welfare.
I often say, “If we make a mistake, no one dies”. That clearly is valid in the office, but not on the frozen ice pack. There, a miscalculation of direction or distance could have catastrophic consequences. Repeatedly I asked myself as I skied over thin ice – as little as 5 centimetres thick, for stretches of up to 80 metres, “do I really trust my guide and expedition leader”, Jason de Carteret. Repeatedly I was able to re-affirm that belief.
We live in a world where the concept of trust is an ever rarer commodity, yet in that barren landscape we all came to trust each other, through our own toil and unreserved willingness to help one another when needed. Of course I had already formed a deep bond with my fellow Polar travel companion, Kevin Dempsey, with whom I had the privilege of skiing to the South Pole. However, we all came together and got to know each other in some ways more intensively than if we had known each other for years. Extreme situations can be like that.
I can also apply to our Mauritian project some of the lessons that I have learned on my travels. There we have a group of people, fast becoming almost a family, brought together to achieve a goal of building something. A permanent creation which is already larger than its constituent parts. A lasting legacy for the long-term welfare of these children (and hopefully generations of children after them) and a monument to the innate goodness that is within all of us.
The Ranger Foundation Centre has already become a well-known organisation in Mauritius, receiving compliments in the form of referrals of children from the Ministry of Education and from other establishments.
We officially launched The Ranger Foundation Trust in Mauritius in July of 2008 at a gala dinner with the President of Mauritius, The Right Honourable Sir Aneerood Jugnauth and his wife as our guests of honour. The dinner was self-financed by our Mauritian colleagues, Curatus Trust Company (Mauritius) Limited.
Since then our “Special Needs” Learning Centre and Therapy Unit have expanded. Originally we had 8 children, whereas now we look after 18 children, babies and young people.
I aim for The Ranger Foundation Trust to use the money that I have raised from the original South Pole expedition plus the money I have raised from my North Pole expedition (a further approximately CHF200,000 so far) to build a purpose-built school and therapy centre near the capital, Port Louis. We are hopeful of making further real progress towards breaking ground during 2010. I will soon publish my proposed plans for the building on this website.
Thank you, and please don’t stop caring!
With my personal best wishes.
Yours sincerely,
Lance D Ranger
