Byesville Rotary learns adventures change your perspective

Pictured: Dan Navicky, Speaker Host, and Greg Adams, Guest Speaker.

Club business: Club members approved the following requests for donation--

• Main Avenue Methodist Church--$200 for activity hall clean up: Oziel Jeffries moved; Chuck Fair 2ed; passed.


• Living Word donation of $100: Oziel Jeffries made motion; Chuck Fair 2ed; passed.


• Girl’s State Leadership Conference registration fee $250: Oziel Jeffries moved; Marty Patchen 2ed; passed. this will support Darlene Miser's daughter's attendance at Girl's State.


• Rotary Float donation of $50: club members informed of board decision to donate.


• Relay For Life donation of $100: Rich Dair moved; Chuck Fair 2ed; passed.

Breakfast with the Bunny committee has been meeting. Breakfast is planned for Saturday, March 31. members will be asked to sign up to donate syrup or wrapped candy for the plastic eggs.

Dan Navicky introduced guest speaker, Greg Adams, mayor of New Concord, co-founder of Resource systems, and adventurer.

Adams encouraged his audience to accept opportunities for adventure big or small. Adventures help people see things they take for granted from a new perspective. “I learned way more than I expected,” he stated. Part of the adventure he shared with his daughter included a 10 day hike through an African wilderness. There were no toilets or even Port-a-potties, no running water, no electricity, and no nicely maintained roads. During the hike, Adams said he realized in America “…we have a lot of gifts that we don’t appreciate.”

Adams presented a slide show which communicated a sense of his adventure to Mt. Kilimanjaro. The mountain is the highest in Africa and is one of a very few mountains that allow people to hike to the top. People do not have to be trained in technical mountain climbing techniques.

Adams explained that every year about 25,000 people try to reach the top of Kilimanjaro. Just over 50% make it. The hike is challenging but not impossible. Kilimanjaro is over 19,200 high and the biggest challenge to hikers is dealing with altitude sickness which prevents many people from reaching the top.

Adams explained that altitude sickness is unpredictable and can affect even the fittest of hikers. Symptoms include nosebleeds, dehydration, headaches, and loss of appetite. Altitude affects each person differently, and no one can predict if they will be affected or not.

For their trek up the mountain, Adams and his daughter each carried a 33 pound backpack of personal items. They were accompanied by 18 guides who carried their own personal items as well as everything else needed for the trip—tents, food, and medical supplies which included a cardio unit and oxygen.

To climb the last 4000 feet to the peak, Adams and Clare got up early, hiked to the peak then back down to their camp. At this altitude, Adams said “…you move slower and need to work to keep your brain clear and focused.”

Adams stated that this adventure reinforced his belief that “…taking time to spend with people that you care about…” was as important as the adventure itself.

Byesville Rotary meets every Tuesday, 7:30 am, at the Stop Nine Senior Center at 60313 (GPS use 60299) Southgate Road, Byesville. Anyone interested in learning more about the Byesville Rotary can call membership Chairs Marty Patchen, 740-685-3828, or Randy Launder, 740-685-8294.