AKTAŞ Group is our main sponsor during the row across the Pacific Ocean.

Adalar Rowing Club members were generously supportive.

An update: we are receiving wonderful support...
March 20, 2007    
I am proud to announce that AKTAŞ Group from Bursa in Turkey will be the Title Sponsor for the upcoming Pacific Ocean crossing. We will reach the shores of the Indian Ocean together. It was during my trip to Turkey in November when I met the Board of Directors of AKTAŞ Group, that I was invited to hold a presentation for their employees later in January.

After my presentation, the AKTAŞ CEO, Ms. Simay Kızılok Ergüç shared the company goals of doubling their production and exporting 95% of their products within the next few years. AKTAŞ had the potential, and they had the best products. AKTAŞ had a global vision, they had already achieved significant milestones and now it was time to set new goals. Determination, courage and success were the key attributes for their company. Later the President of the Board, Mr. Şahap Aktaş took the microphone, to explain that we shared in the courage to dream, and announced: "We will support your dream; we are in this together!"

I took pride in introducing AKTAŞ Group to Marjinal Marketing Communications who has been our untiring PR partner in Turkey. It was only natural that two sponsors who believed in what we could achieve as a team, should work together.

Adalar Rowing Club and ENKA Sports and Educational Foundation both based in İstanbul, were generous in their support of the human powered circumnavigation. The Turkish Geographical Society and the Amateur Maritime Federation remain strong supporters of ours along with the Turkish Rowing Federation. These institutions are instrumental in sharing our story with their members and in facilitating our outreach programs.

We are working with Mountain House to meet the nutritional demands of the circumnavigation journey, especially during the ocean crossings. Winslow Liferafts is repackaging the life raft in a waterproof case to ensure its dependability should the need arise while at sea. Fisheries Supply in Seattle is kindly providing discounts on our much needed supplies.

We have just established a partnership with The Mountain Fund. This is an umbrella organization which brings together the resources of various nonprofit organizations. In working together and complementing each other, these organizations are more successful.

Mountain Fund is also the home of "Climb-Aid, The Climber's Alert Network" which was established to provide assistance to the families of missing climbers. Following the loss of Charlie Fowler and Christine Boskoff in China, the need to provide structure in the aftermath of such events which range from coordinating search and rescue efforts to media relations, from tiding over distraught families to legal counsel, was obvious in the climbing community. This is when Mountain Fund stepped forward.

The Boskoff Fowler Search and Rescue Fund, which is a restricted purpose fund under Around-n-Over, is receiving a steady flow of funds, and more is needed to find Christine who still remains on the Genyen Peak in China. Our goal is to apply any surplus funds toward an educational project to honor the legacy of these fine climbers.

These are great examples of the various contributions and partnerships which keep us motivated. The trust placed in us has to be matched by our responsibility to deliver. There is one thing that is certain: we have demonstrated the courage to start and the stamina to persevere. Mother Nature will determine the rest.

The Six Summits Project is a fundraiser event for Around-n-Over. We continue to seek additional funding and sponsorships to realize the educational and charitable missions of Around-n-Over. We will welcome any further inquiries to support Around-n-Over.

Erden.