Climbing Walls for Peace

I love Ultimate Peace.

I love rock climbing

Both have taught me how to find my way over walls.

This year I am going to go a couple extra miles to raise funds for Ultimate Peace, an organization dedicated to building bridges of friendship. An organization full of joy, light, and love. An organization that does the work, even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard.

On Tuesday, March 3rd I am going to climb two miles in a day.

Click here to learn how you can support me on my journey.

Camp UP 2018 here we come!

Hello Friends and Family,

This summer I am thrilled to be making my 7th trip to the Middle East to work at CampUP, a youth Ultimate camp run by a phenomenally amazing organization called Ultimate Peace.

More importantly, I am beyond thrilled that my brother Caleb will also be returning to CampUP, this time as a full coach! 

Like last year, I am urging all of my supporters to donate to my brother instead of me. You can read all about his campaign right here.

Caleb-Donate-Button-600

Here’s the short version of what’s going on:

– This summer I’ll be in the Middle East for almost all of July, working with Ultimate Peace at two one-week overnight camps for Arab, Jewish, and Palestinian youths. This summer we will have over 230 campers, 50 LITs, and 90+ staff spread across two sessions!

– In addition to coaching a camper team of my own, I will be continuing my role as Program Manager for Camp Ultimate Peace. In this position I oversee operations for all camp logistics operations as well as staff development. Recently I began serving on Ultimate Peace’s Board of Directors.

– You can find read all about Ultimate Peace at http://www.ultimatepeace.org/.

UP-Goofs

– Ultimate Peace operates fully by donations, and each coach is responsible for raising substantial funds to make the camps happen.

– Every last little bit helps, even if it is to just spread the word!

– I will be blogging about all of my Ultimate Peace experiences at www.UltimateJosh.com.

– I have been lucky enough to give several presentations talking about my time with Ultimate Peace. Here are the most recent three:
Osher Lecture Series @ The Catamount Arts – 3/28/13
Williston Political Awareness Club – 1/10/14
Williston Assembly – 4/16/14
Ultimate Peace Presentation at The Black Sheep – 2/6/18

– Due to a generous Williston professional development grant, I was able to spend all of Spring Break 2014 traveling through Israel and the West Bank. I visited schools, saw math classes in action, folded Origami with masters, taught Ultimate, and saw many new places. You can read all about my travels right here.

TheWall

– I will be continuing my work folding prayer Cranes and placing them into the Western Wall as part of The Crane Project.

– The most recent Ultimate Peace promo video can be viewed right here.

– The absolute best way to learn about Ultimate Peace is to watch this 5 minute clip of the Telling Well – Episode 2.

Please consider supporting my work by making a donation using this link to support my brother Caleb’s Camp Ultimate Peace experience.

Caleb-Donate-Button-600

If you are up for the long version, or want to know why I’m taking the uncomfortable step of asking for money, head on over to this page.

Salaam & Shalom,

Signature

 

Camp Ultimate Peace 2017 Here We Come!

Hello Friends and Family,

This summer I am thrilled to be making my 6th trip to the Middle East to work at CampUP, a youth Ultimate camp run by a phenomenally amazing organization called Ultimate Peace.

Caleb!

More importantly, I am beyond thrilled that my brother Caleb will also be returning to CampUP, this time to be one of two leaders of the North American Leaders in Training program!

Like last year, I am urging all of my supporters to donate to my brother instead of me. You can read all about his campaign right here.

Caleb-Donate-Button-600

Here’s the short version of what’s going on:

– This summer I’ll be in the Middle East for almost all of July, working with Ultimate Peace at a 7-day overnight camps for Arab, Jewish, and Palestinian youths. This summer we will have over 185 campers, 50 LITs, and 80+ staff.

– In addition to coaching a camper team of my own, I will be continuing my role as Program Manager for Camp Ultimate Peace. In this position I oversee operations for all camp logistics operations as well as staff development.

– You can find read all about Ultimate Peace at http://www.ultimatepeace.org/.

UP-Goofs

– Ultimate Peace operates fully by donations, and each coach is responsible for raising substantial funds to make the camps happen.

– Every last little bit helps, even if it is to just spread the word!

– I will be blogging about all of my Ultimate Peace experiences at www.UltimateJosh.com.

– I have been lucky enough to give several presentations talking about my time with Ultimate Peace. Here are the most recent three:
Osher Lecture Series @ The Catamount Arts – 3/28/13
Williston Political Awareness Club – 1/10/14
Williston Assembly – 4/16/14

– Due to a generous Williston professional development grant, I was able to spend all of Spring Break 2014 traveling through Israel and the West Bank. I visited schools, saw math classes in action, folded Origami with masters, taught Ultimate, and saw many new places. You can read all about my travels right here.

TheWall

– I will be continuing my work folding prayer Cranes and placing them into the Western Wall as part of The Crane Project.

– The most recent Ultimate Peace promo video can be viewed right here.

– The absolute best way to learn about Ultimate Peace is to watch this 5 minute clip of the Telling Well – Episode 2.

Please consider supporting my work by making a donation using this link to support my brother Caleb’s Camp Ultimate Peace experience.

Caleb-Donate-Button-600

If you are up for the long version, or want to know more about why I’m taking the uncomfortable step of asking for money, please click here.

Salaam & Shalom,

Signature

One more day to donate!

Screen Shot 2016-06-14 at 11.31.40 AMOur bags are packed and our itinerary is set!

Caleb and I will begin our journey to the Middle East tomorrow afternoon, which is also the deadline to make a contribution towards Caleb’s work with Ultimate Peace.

We are incredibly honored to have raised $2,604 from toward’s Caleb’s work! We’d LOVE to reach the $3,000 goal in the next 24 hours.

Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated!

Thank you SO MUCH for all of your support.

 

  • Josh & Caleb

5 days left to donate!

Screen Shot 2016-04-30 at 6.54.57 PMCaleb and I will be walking around the streets of Jerusalem in less than 10 days! We couldn’t be more excited, or more honored to be a part of the magic that’s yet to come: Camp Ultimate Peace 2016.

Caleb has been playing Ultimate and learning about the region continually over the past months. I am literally picking Caleb up from a Middle Eastern politics class as we leave town to begin out journey to the Middle East.

I am currently polishing off the last of my project management tasks, making sure all the pieces are in order so that they can assemble along with 200 campers and 75 adults at camp. I’ve also been gathering hundreds of pieces of paper with prayers and messages written on them. Before and after camp I’ll be folding each piece into a crane and placing them into the Western Wall — What I call, The Crane Project.

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With five days to go before the July 1st fundraising deadline, Caleb has raised $2,199 towards his target of $3,000. Donation of any size are greatly appreciated!

You can learn more about Caleb’s work with UP and make a donation right here.

Thanks to everyone for all the many ways you’ve supported Ultimate Peace!

Standing up for peace

Screen Shot 2016-06-14 at 11.31.40 AMCaleb and I couldn’t be more excited to get to the Middle East to begin our in-person work with Camp Ultimate Peace! Before we get to camp, we need to be fully prepared, so in the week before training begins at camp, I will be taking Caleb on a tour of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, the West Bank, Nazareth, and as many other places as we can manage. We will connect with local coaches and communities, and experience as much of the local culture as possible.

To start helping to build peace you must know a place, and to know a place you must go there.

So, we are going.

With a little over two weeks to go before the July 1st fundraising deadline, Caleb has raised $1,859 towards his target of $3,000. Donation of any size are greatly appreciated.

You can learn more about Caleb’s work with UP and make donation right here.

Caleb spoke recently at our church about Ultimate Peace. You can watch a video of that presentation right here.

Caleb and I, along with the entire Ultimate Peace family thank you for your support!

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My brother is coming to Camp Ultimate Peace!

This summer I am thrilled to be returning to the Middle East to work at CampUP, a youth Ultimate camp run by a phenomenally amazing organization called Ultimate Peace.

Screen Shot 2016-04-30 at 6.54.57 PM

Caleb!

More importantly, I am beyond thrilled that my brother Caleb was accepted into the Ultimate Peace Leaders in Training program and will be joining me at camp!

This year, I am urging all of my supporters to donate to my brother instead of me. You can read all about his campaign right here or make a donation through this link.

You can read about my history with Ultimate Peace right here.

Thank You!

Over the past 4 years 78 different individuals and organization have donated a total of $14,452 towards my work with Ultimate Peace!

To all of them, I say:

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Thank you Alex, Allen, Amy, Andrea, Anne, Ariel, Barbara, Bay State Health, Ben H., Ben J., Bill, Breakmark, Brian, Catherine H., Catherine P., Charlie, Cheryl, Chris, Claire, Craig, Dale, David, Debra, Denise, Dick, Donna, Ethan, George, Helen, Holly, J & Ali, Janet B., Janet F., Jenya, Jesse , Jessica, Jim, Josh, Karen, Kate D., Kate F., Kate R., Katie, Kendra, Kim, Kris & John, Laura, Laurel & Dylan, Linda R., Linda W., Margaret, Marianne, Marise, Mark, Marybeth, Mat, Nancy, Nick, Priscilla, PVI, Rob, Robert, Robyn, Rona, Sandra, Sandy, Scott, Sharon, Suzy, Theodore, Thepthai, Traci, Valley Medical, Yoon Sun, Zach A., and Zach P.!

24 hours to go!

The view from the roof of the Austrian Hospice in the Old City of Jerusalem.

The view from the roof of the Austrian Hospice in the Old City of Jerusalem.

In about 10 minutes I’ll be driving down to camp from the West Bank. I have been here for the past two days meeting new Ultimate Peace friends and further absorbing the region. There really isn’t any place like the Old City of Jerusalem!

Camp starts getting into full swing tomorrow with the arrival of all of the coaches. Tomorrow is also the fundraising deadline. If you’d like the make a donation towards my work, today is your last chance! Thank you so much for all of your support. You can make a donation online right here.

Photos of my first couple days can be viewed right here.

Thanks again for all your support! Camp UP 2014 is just about here!