CLIMBER BLOG: Justin Wilkes

Why I joined SOTSK

Climbing Kilimanjaro was by far the hardest thing I’ve ever done physically, mentally and emotionally. And filming our adventure brought new meaning to our various job descriptions in a way no other project has before. To say that it was a once in a lifetime experience would be an understatement. It will be something that all of us will cherish and remember for a long time…and for me personally…I’m just grateful that we were asked to play a role in spreading the message of global clean water, off of the mountain and beyond through our film.

Chris Weil said it best at the NY premiere this past week – Kenna was the Pied Piper and we gladly followed him to one of the highest points on the planet to support and document a cause near and dear to all of our hearts. And the incredible thing that we all realized along the way was that none of us could have done it alone. It was because we were a group of actors, musicians, experts, activists, producers, directors, cinematographers, sound recordists, editors, guides and porters…that every single one of us made it to the top. Something that’s never been accomplished in a group of that size on any notable mountain…anywhere…any time. Coincidence? I think not.

That’s the power of Kenna.

Thanks to everyone from SOTS, MTV, P&G, HP, Microsoft, First Ascent and Thomson Safaris for an adventure of a lifetime. And of course to our incredible crew, who not only climbed but had to work the entire way up (and down).

On behalf of the filmmaking team, I hope everyone finds as much inspiration from the documentary as we have had making it.

- Justin Wilkes

Producer, “Summit on the Summit” Documentary

Justin Timberlake ‘In Awe’ Of ‘Summit On The Summit’ Climb

Film that documents the climb airs Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on MTV.

By James Montgomery

Justin Timberlake was there when his pal Kenna decided to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. In fact, he encouraged him to do it, and is “bummed” that his schedule didn’t allow him to join his friend on the trek.

“Kenna and I, every winter, we find a place to go snowboarding, and we were up on a mountain somewhere, snowboarding,” Timberlake told MTV News. “We got onto the lift, and Kenna was talking about how, before, he had tried to climb Kilimanjaro.” And there, the idea for “Summit on the Summit” was hatched.

Unfortunately, due to work conflicts — the trek up Africa’s highest peak was rescheduled several times and ultimately collided with Timberlake’s filming for “The Social Network” — Justin didn’t actually get to make the climb with Kenna. Instead, the likes of Lupe Fiasco and Santigold and actors Jessica Biel, Emile Hirsch and Isabel Lucas made the climb up Kilimanjaro, but Timberlake remained close to the action, getting daily updates on the trek.

“I was getting sort of a texting diary from day to day,” Timberlake recalled. “And the one thing I heard was … the hardest part was the last day, obviously, because not only were they climbing from 16,000 to 19,000 feet, but that extra 3,000 was really brutal, because of the altitude. And on top of that, I think they woke up at 2:30 in the morning and had to climb the last 3,000 feet. I heard from all of them that the last 3,000 feet, every breath counted. Every single time you could conserve oxygen, you could feel it. It really counted. … I’m in awe that they did it. I’m really impressed.”

Timberlake did record an introduction to the film that documents the climb — and highlights the global issue of clean water — called “Summit on the Summit: Kilimanjaro.” The 90-minute doc premiered Wednesday night in New York and will air Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on MTV. And just because he didn’t actually climb the mountain this time around, don’t count him out just yet.

“I was bummed that I wasn’t able to do it, because I thought it would be a cool thing to do. Maybe one day I will,” he laughed. “But it’s really an inspiring idea and an inspiring task, and I was very proud of everyone who was involved with it. … It says a lot about all the people who were involved in the climb, that they were sort of willing to put themselves out there … to have cameras on them 24/7 and to say, ‘Well, if this has any effect on anyone who’s watching it, or creates any type of awareness, and gets $10 from one person, well, that’s amazing.’ “

Tune in to “Summit on the Summit: Kilimanjaro” Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on MTV. And find out what you can do to help solve the global water crisis now at the“Summit on the Summit” Web site.

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1633839/20100312/timberlake_justin.jhtml

Kenna, Emile Hirsch on Clean Water Cause

Grammy Winner and Actor Star in MTV Documentary About Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro to Raise Awareness

(CBS) At any given time, half the world’s hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from a water-related disease, such as diarrhea.

Grammy award-winning musician Kenna wanted to draw attention to the global clean water crisis so he brought a group of scientists, activists, and celebrities to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain. Their journey was captured in a documentary for MTV, “Summit on the Summit.”

Kenna and actor Emile Hirsch, known for playing Christopher McCandless in the film adaptation of Jon Krakauer’s book “Into the Wild,” appeared on “The Early Show” to discuss their trek to one of the world’s highest peaks.

“Early Show” co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez said she understood the importance of the climb when she saw the first place Kenna took his band of travelers: a dirty swamp.

Rodriguez said villagers are forced to drink water from this swamp - the same place where cattle defecate.

She said, “When I saw that, I got it.”

Kenna replied, “It’s a difficult situation. Water is scarce, and when they do have water, it’s rain water, and sometimes it’s the only thing they have and they don’t have the education to know what to do with that water, how to clean that water if there’s even a way to do that. They end up having to use it. It’s just the way that it is.”

Kenna took on the topic because his father at a young age had waterborne diseases. Kenna said he also learned recently he lost an uncle to waterborne illness.

“I couldn’t just sit by … and let that continue to happen,” he said.

Hirsch who said he’d traveled extensively and knew a bit about water shortage issues said he joined the climb three weeks before the group took off.

“Everyone had been training for like, six months, seven months, eight months. Our friend, Shannon, said she was training for a whole year, so I got there and I go, I have three weeks, so I look up on YouTube some climbers’ personal videos and they’re all like throwing in the towel, and saying, ‘I can’t do it.’”

Though Hirsch got sick on the trail, he made it all 19,340 feet up the mountain. The entire group completed the climb — the largest group to make the ascent.

For more on the climb and clean water awareness, click on the video below.

SOTSK ON THE CBS EARLY SHOW THIS MORNING

Kenna & Emile sat down with “Early Show” co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez

Kilimanjaro climbers kick off a deluge of celebrity visits to Washington.

SOTSK ON LARRY KING LIVE

Summit Supporters,

You followed us for a reason. You believe that the water crisis is a solvable problem, is a critical issue, and that it is NOT okay that a child dies every 15 seconds from water borne illness. Your support has brought us to here…

This week our team’s starting the next part of the climb. We went straight to the UN Foundation in DC, prepared for a talk with Congress, ventured to Capitol Hill and asked hard questions.

We think there is an answer, a solution, and we believe we’re on our way there.

This Sunday (March 14th) on MTV at 9/8 central (http://www.mtv.com/shows/summit_on_the_summit/series.jhtml) we’re going to relive every step of the climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro.

We did something BIG to bring BIG attention - now we get to share it with you. Please tune in…and beyond that organize your own tweet up (@SOTSK) or viewing party and interact with us during the film. RSVP here: http://ow.ly/1giNe

We’re grateful for your support. We’re hopeful for a solution. And we’re inspired to get there with your help!

CLIMBER BLOG: Elizabeth Gore

FROM TANZANIA TO ETHIOPIA

Coming off the high of summiting Kilimanjaro, a group of SOTSK climbers loaded a plane, not home to the comfort of the US, but to Ethiopia. Exhausted, sore and bruised, Kenna, Jessica, Santi and I wanted to see firsthand why we just endured a 19,340 foot ascent (and descent).

Arriving in Addis Ababa, we were greeted by our very own village elder, Dr. Zemedkun (Kenna’s dad) and Kenna’s sister, Emerald. It seemed so appropriate to go full circle to where the SOTSK project was born - in the Zemedkun family homeland. On Friday the 15th, we woke early to participate in a site visit hosted by my organization, the UN Foundation. We boarded a small (really small) plane to head west to Jijiga, one of the driest places in the world. Looking out of the plane, I did not see one river, lake or reservoir. Heading into the landing, it took two passes to finally hit the dirt air strip. I should have known something was up when the pilot said out loud, “I wonder if they are going to move the camels off the runway,” before we touched down. Hundreds of curious onlookers rushed the plane as we waited for the UN vehicles to find our exact location. Our guides for the day, UNHCR, the United Nation’s High Commission for Refugees and a beneficiary of SOTSK, would show us the way into the heart of this area, the Kebribeyah refugee camp.

The UNHCR is responsible for 40 million displaced people around the world, half of which do not have adequate access to clean water. The camps they run in Ethiopia are some of the most desperate. Arriving in Kebribeyah, we viewed the Jarrar water supply system that is run by UNHCR, supplying water for both refugees and local Ethiopian people. Prior to the water system being in place, these people lived on a few liters of water per day, which is barely living, while the current system managed by the UNHCR and the local government provides 12 to 15 liters per day per person and for life supporting livestock. The system needs an upgrade to reach the UNHCR minimum standard of 20 liters per person per day. Our technical water engineer and UNHCR employee, Anthony, gave Kenna the financial details needed for the system so we could ask you - the public - to help us fund the upgrade.

Leaving the system, we drove the long, bumpy road to the refugee camp. Our first stop was to visit with a Somali refugee committee which was the first ever headed by a woman. Her initial words resonated with us. “I was never born to be a refugee. We are human beings too.” Although they have water points, we learned of their need for more water in the camps. Then Dr. Zemedkun told the story of the summit group conquering Kilimanjaro for clean water which resulted in a thunderous applause. The group welcomed us to their camp and the primary school, the true highlight of the day. The students exuded hope and confidence for their future. We glanced at each other in that school room and knew that we had to give water to those kids so they could achieve their dreams. Walking through camp, Jessica and I spent time with two women in their homes which were made of wooden sticks, old t-shirts and mud floors. The women told us of their need and how much better life was now that UNHCR has put a water source within 200 meters of their home. Now they hope for up to 20 liters per day per child. Our entire SOTSK team was overwhelmed by the resilience of these people. All they have is each other and their hope to return home, to Somalia, some day. The least we can provide them is safe water. The clinic in the camp sees a lot of water borne diseases, especially the children. This day provided a deep education for us regarding the need for clean water, but also about the solutions that are sustainable.

After thanking the UNHCR, we loaded the plane. I immediately noticed how incredibly quiet everyone was on the SOTSK team. Then one by one each person would mention to me their hope to support the people we saw. How can we bring water to 600,000 people in the most barren part of Africa? With you! We know the solution - we saw it firsthand. We just need your help. Send water today to www.summitonthesummit.com.

- Elizabeth Gore

The Collective Will of The SOTSK 45

Something special happened between January 7th, when 45 of us, mostly strangers, took our first steps on the trail and January 12th, when we set out on that same trail, in the middle of the night, to climb to the summit…

In those days between, the 45 of us became one. Unspoken, but felt by everyone…a desire for all of us to make it to the top. No one wanted to be the one who didn’t make it…but even more important, everyone wanted everyone else to make it.

We were climbing for all those without access to clean water, we were climbing for Kenna, we were climbing for ourselves, our friends and family, and we were climbing for all of you who followed us this week…

For some it was relatively easy, for others it was the most grueling physical experience of their lives. We plodded through cold, wind and snow and 7 hours after we set out for the summit, all 45 of us were united at the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, 19,340 feet above Africa.

Kenna’s What If — a Summit on the Summit — became reality.

Had we been climbing as individuals, several of us might not have made it this time. Our guides were shocked, telling us they’d never seen a group as large as ours pull off 100% summit success on the route we climbed.

And as we stood on the summit sharing hugs and tears, we bore witness to the power of our collective will, having driven each other not just to a higher physical location but to a heightened state of mind.

We all have mountains to climb in our lives. You don’t have to climb yours alone. So rally your own team and see what happens when your climb’s fueled by the collective will of a group.

- Jay Lavender

The SOTSK 45

Kenna
Dr. Greg Allgood
Bernise Ang
Melissa Arnot
Jessica Biel
Jason Blackburn
Mike Bonfiglio
Nikki Bottolene
Jimmy Chin
Joanna Cichocki
Katie Cordes
Alexandra Cousteau
Artur Dziewecynski
Kristin Ethridge
Shannon Ethridge
Brooke Fedro
Elizabeth Gore
Thomas Grimshaw
Eric Guichard
Kent Harvey
Thomas Holden
Simon Isaacs
Emile Hirsch
Lupe Fiasco
Marcin Kapron
Lewis Kay
Kick Kennedy
Jay Lavender
Ray Leakey
Manuel Linnig
Isabel Lucas
Ivan Maucuit
Travis Miller
Rachel Morrison
Michael Muller
Eddie O’ Connor
Nick Pacelli
Dave Ruddick
Cherie Silvera
Antoine Struys
Jason Walsh
Chris Weil
Santigold
Justin Wilkes
Bill Winters

We’ve said good by to Kili and are en route back to the United States. We will be posting recaps of the summit, climber thoughts and more pictures throughout the weekend…. so stay tuned!