Team Journalist.

Karina Gallant

Karina Gallant is a senior at Explorations Academy in Bellingham. She finds one of the most appealing aspects of attending this non-traditional school is the opportunity to travel internationally. Karina spent a month in Colombia earlier this year travelling and working on a service project at the Alex Rocha Youth Center in Cartagena. Upon her return, Karina was eager to do more travelling with a purpose. When she heard about the One Sherpa Home project, she jumped on the opportunity knowing that she wanted to make an impact and dedicate herself to a valuable cause.

Karina is an avid rock climber, skier, hiker and has always had a love for reading and writing. She will get a chance to combine these passions as Away Team Journalist for One Sherpa Home. Her regular posts to this blog will document, with words and photos, the day to day efforts of building a home at 13,000 feet. Donate to One Sherpa Home here!

OSH Team Physician

Dr. Clark Parrish.

I built a beach cottage on the briny shores of Lopez Island many years ago. When I say "a lot of blood and sweat went into it" I'm not just talking figuratively. Self-inflicted injuries occurred with such frequency that I probably learned more about first aid than carpentry. So it goes that the first thing I thought of when imagining this home building project was medical assistance.

When I first asked Clark to join our Away Team he had already committed to serve a Doctors Without Borders stint in Bhutan during the spring of 2016. But I knew he had a deep connection with the people and place of Nepal, and his warm genuine way made him a perfect team member for OSH, so I took a shot. Clark accepted.

Clark has hiked throughout Nepal and also spent time at altitude. He is well versed in the typical maladies that befall trekkers and climbers, and will also be equipped to lend a hand if we should find the Sherpas of Phortse in need of medical attention in the aftermath of the earth quakes and monsoon season.

Show your support for One Sherpa Home here!

Another radio pitch and climbing stories.

My friends at the local classic rock station invited me on again. There was the story of this guy who climbed Kilimanjaro with a bath tub on his back and they wanted me to comment. Here you go...
http://kism.com/brad-and-john/mountaineer-dave-mauro/



Give to One Sherpa Home by clicking HERE

The Board of Directors

I met with the Board of Directors for One Sherpa Home a week ago and they approved several expenditures for supplies we need to order now; wire gabions, lumber, rebar, and tools. Our Board is awesome! ...and I'm not just saying that because they approved my expenses. Check it out;

This is Jeff Arvin. Jeff started the Cascade Joinery many years back, which became the builder of choice in this region for high end homes designed with old world finishes. He could probably build a nuclear reactor solely from cope and notch joints. Today he is President of The Timber Framers Guild, a national organization of like-minded craftsmen.

Jeff organized an effort to build an outdoor performance venue in memorium of a friend, a harmonica musician, who died too young. So philanthropy and construction have come together in Jeff's life prior to joining One Sherpa Home.

This is Scott Davis. Scott is a CPA, Drummer, and neighbor of mine. Many years ago I managed the 401K for a company Scott worked at. One day they fired me for not being Canadian enough. Soon after that Scott quit. I like to think he did so to show his support for me, though he never indicated the two things were related.

Scott's house was built by Jeff. What are the chances?

This is Bob Goodwin. Bob was the producer of the hit TV series, The X Files. There is nothing about that skill set that translates to what we are trying to do. But Bob is also a comedian (he performed on The Merv Griffin show) and what Board of Directors can't use a laugh or two? I was cast in a commercial Bob filmed a few years back and we had a lot of fun. Bob likes to pepper me with profanity when he calls my office, all the while knowing professional decorum prevents me from returning in kind.

This is a stethoscope. I lifted this image from the web because I couldn't find a picture of Dr. Bruce Bowden. Bruce is a dermatologist and if he has any connection with the other members of the board, HIPAA regulations would prevent him from saying so. This is lucky for Scott, who I'm pretty sure has had some work done to have that boyish face. Bruce is a trekker, journalist, and occasional mountain climber. He was one of first people to take an interest in my climbing blogs. This, combined with his disdain for The Moody Blues, tells me Bruce is a man of refined taste.


Give to One Sherpa Home by clicking HERE