Our dedicated team has been training for the climb since September 2006. Below is some background on each climber and how they've been preparing for the climb:
 Cern was born in New Zealand, raised in Canada and college educated in the United States. Cern met his wife, Cindy, while attending the University of Alabama. Cern and Cindy now live in Cincinnati, Ohio. A competitive runner for ten years, Cern now enjoys the mountains, especially those in the Canadian Rockies where Cern has made over 40 ascents. Cern's training for Kilimanjaro has included running, cycling, eating lots of Girl Scout cookies, hiking and stair climbing. Recently, Cern completed a vertical mile stair climb event. While barely able to walk for several days after the event, Cern believes that he will be prepared for the climb.
Nolan, who is Cern's father, passed on his love of mountains and the outdoors to Cern. Nolan resides in Calgary, Canada, but he is rarely there as he loves to travel. To prepare for this climb he recently completed multi-day hikes on the famous Milford and Routeburn tracks, and climbed up active volcanoes in New Zealand! In addition, Nolan tuned up his legs by climbing the 4,095m (13,435ft) Mount Kinabalu in Borneo in mid-March. Nolan reported, "I climbed Kinabalu yesterday - was one of ten who sumitted. There were 180 who went as far as the base camp. Conditions were awful - very wet and cold. Climbed up in the dark - a lot of bare granite - miles of ropes. So didn't see too much." Hopefully the views from Kilimanjaro are more rewarding!
Wendy was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts where she spent the first 22 years of her life living near the ocean. She now lives in Atlanta with her husband Dan and enjoys their lake/mountain home in North Georgia. They have done many day-hikes together on parts of the Appalachian Trail but the highest mountain in Georgia is only 4,784 feet – slightly less than Mount Kilimanjaro at 19,340 feet! Wendy has been friends with Dane's mom, Cindy, since 1991 and has enjoyed getting to know Cern, Dane, and Kiri. They are an inspirational family. Wendy's training for the climb includes kayaking, a treadmill, an elliptical machine, and walking through her hilly neighborhood wearing a backpack filled with water bottles while listening and laughing to NPR's "Wait, wait, don't tell me". Her neighbors are starting to wonder about her...
Dan was born in Michigan, grew up in a small town in Ohio, and now lives in Atlanta Georgia with his wife Wendy. Dan loves to hike in the North Georgia Mountains but has never done any serious mountain climbing. Dan met Dane and his sister Kiri a few years ago when they visited Hiawassee, Georgia. Dane showed Dan what courage, hard work, and a great attitude about life really meant. Prior to beginning training for this event Dan had spent several years sitting in a chair and accumulating an award-winning belly. He still has a belly but it no longer wins awards. DO IT FOR DANE, the mantra of the climb, has motivated his training days easier and will help Dan conquer the mountain.
We are using the experts at Tusker Trail to help us organize the climb and to provide the guides and porters for the climb. Also, a special thanks to our Tusker coordinator, Juliet Bonnell; without her and the Tusker team, this climb would not be possible.
Eddie Frank |
Eddie is the founder of Tusker Trail and was born and raised in Africa. He has been leading remote expeditions in Africa for the past 30 years. Eddie leads 4-5 climbs annually. Since his first trip up Kilimanjaro in 1977, he has climbed the mountain 31 times and crossed the Sahara 34 times. By continuing to lead expeditions Eddie keeps his finger on the pulse of Tusker's operation. His Kilimanjaro guides have nicknamed him, "Nondo". It means "Steel Bar."
As a "Roads Scholar" he has accumulated numerous degrees which include bush mechanics, trekker psychology and tribal communication. Eddie has since built Tusker Trail into the safest, most experienced trekking company on Kilimanjaro.
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Simon Minja |
Simon is 35 years old and is now in his 9th year guiding for Tusker Trail. His father was also a mountain guide. Simon is Tusker's Chief Senior Guide, and works very closely with Eddie in training new guides. With Eddie, Simon leads most of Tusker's large charity fundraising climbs.
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Thobias Meela |
"Tobi" has been leading Tusker climbs for the past 9 years, and along with Simon, is one of Tusker's senior guides. Highly respected by the hundreds of other Kilimanjaro guides, Tobi is known as the strong silent type. He knows Kilimanjaro better than most other guides put together.
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Nemes Meela |
Nemes has a reputation for "dancing" up Kilimanjaro. Once you get to know him, you'll find that he has a wealth of knowledge about Kilimanjaro and the Chagga culture. Nemes is another of Tusker's "rising stars," and is in his fourth year with Tusker.
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Elias Massawe |
Elias has been working for Tusker as a senior guide for 8 of his 12 years as a guide. He is one of the most respected guides on the mountain, with superb leadership qualities. His nickname, "Tembo", means elephant. He's a big guy with a big personality. Eddie leads Tusker's large charity fundraising climbs with Elias as his right hand man on a regular basis.
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Elilakimu Mashanga |
Eliakimu is 27 years old. He worked for Tusker for 2 years as a porter when Eddie recognized his potential. Eddie, who made his own living as a professional photographer many years ago, recognized his natural talent as a photographer as well as his unusual leadership qualities. So Eliakimu is now Tusker's official web cast photographer on the charity climbs.
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FrancesMeela |
Frances is is 42 years old, and has been climbing Kilimanjaro since he was a teenager. He is one of Tusker's senior guides, and commands great respect from his fellow guides. He has been climbing for Tusker exclusively for the past seven years, and he is known as the "rock".
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HappyFrais Kombe |
Kombe is in his third year with Tusker, and is one of Tusker's young stars. Climbers love Kombe for his skills, his attention to detail and his dry sense of humor. Once you've climbed with Kombe, you'll miss him when you go home. He is one of Tusker Trail s excellent leaders with a boundless source of energy.
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