U.S. mountaineer Melissa Arnot has summited Mount Everest five times
in her life. She was attempting to become the first female to ever
summit Everest with no oxygen support when nature took a turn for the
worst and struck Nepal with a 7.8 magnitude earthquake on Saturday,
April 25, 2015, triggering a devastating avalanche which claimed the
lives of 19 people.
Arnot is no stranger when it comes to
supporting the workers and families of Nepal. In 2012, she incorporated
The Juniper Fund with her partner, David Morton, in order to provide
expedition workers and their families affected by “mountain based
adventure tourism” with support and aid. She explained that too often,
guides were lost to avalanches and they would be the entire family’s
sole income earner. With The Juniper Fund, the Nepalese families of
these deceased guides would be provided with a living wage that covers
needs such as food, educating their children and rebuilding their homes.
“I
want to thank you so much for your thoughts and continued support in
this devastating time,” Arnot said after seeing donations and support
quickly coming in for earthquake victims. “I remain thankful that my
team was safe and able to help in the aftermath of this tragedy.”
The
Fund has already committed to providing the affected families with
financial support over the next five years. The Juniper Fund is
currently supporting 21 families in need and as the need increases due
to this recent tragedy, it will become more difficult to promise
support. $200,000 must be raised in order for the Fund to realistically
support each family affected by the tragedy on Mount Everest.
Zamst,
a worldwide leader in high-performance sports prevention and protective
equipment and a sponsor of Arnot, is teaming up with Arnot through
auctioned gear and upcoming events to support Nepalese victims and help
The Juniper Fund meet their goal. “I am lucky enough to have the most
supportive and generous sponsors which feel more like a family. Now is
the time that I need your help. I know we can do it,” says Arnot.
All
donations to The Juniper Fund will go directly to the Nepalese families
who need support. Some communities are taking action by organizing
auctions, sponsored speaking events and fundraising dinners, but even
the small act of posting on social media can help The Juniper Fund raise
awareness of its important mission. Organizations and individuals can
donate by going to http://www.thejuniperfund.org/donate/
For more information visit http://newswire.net/newsroom/pr/00089209-zamst-sponsored-melissa-arnot-supports-nepal-earthquake-victims.html
About the Juniper Fund:
The
Juniper Fund was started in 2012 by David Morton and Melissa Arnot in
order to address an unmet obligation they witnessed through their work
as guides in the world's great mountains. The mountain climbing and
expedition industry employs countless local staff and laborers in order
to help support the adventures many travelers seek. The reality is that
some of these workers are injured or killed in the course of this work.
The Juniper Fund was born out of formalizing a commitment to understand
and improve the aftermath of tragedies in the Himalayan expedition
industry, or “mountain based adventure tourism.”
For More Information:
ZAMST
5 Corporate Park, Suite 250
Irvine, CA 92606
(877) 926-7887
marketing@zamst.us
http://www.zamst.us/