March 13, 2006

Dear Friends and Family,

            I think most of you remember me from last year, but if you don’t, my name is Garrett Robinson and I’m 14 years old. Besides doing the normal 14 year old routine, I volunteer for Friends-Together, a non-profit organization that raises money for infected and affected families with HIV/AIDS.

            Over the years, my family and I have gone through hard times with my mom being sick. Someone who has really helped and pulled us out of those hard times was my stepdad Steve. He was the person who put us back on our feet and we started helping other families and orphans suffering from this disease. Everything was going really well, until April 25, 2005, when Steve was killed in an accident.

            It hit us hard and the families of Friends-Together were worried about how to go on. But, my mom, Lyndsy, and I stepped up and had to continue. This year I will once again be riding in our 500 mile bike ride in 5 days. Last year I rode 444 miles of it. Looking back it was very special because Steve was able to be on the whole ride with us…….he had just had hernia surgery so he couldn’t go to work for 6 weeks but the doctor let him ride in the RV that was our first aide mobile. That was only a few weeks before the accident.

            I am writing though to tell you about something else I am doing and to ask for your help. Most of you know that Friends-together went to Tanzania, Africa in August of 2004 to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest freestanding mountain in the world. Well Lyndsy and I were too young to go and we had school, but Steve and Mom went. Steve climbed the whole mountain; he was the only one to make it to the top!! This summer Friends-Together is going back to Africa again. We are taking lots of medical stuff and supplies for the people in Moshi. But we are also climbing the mountain to raise money for our Friends-Together camps. I am doing something even more important for our family. I am going to climb the mountain and take Steve’s ashes with me. To climb the mountain I am supposed to raise $5,000.00 in pledges. I know I have asked a lot of you for help with the bike ride but this is really important. Those of you, who knew Steve, know how much he and my Mom loved their trip there. I think it would make him very proud that I am training to do this. For those of you, who know I had spinal meningitis in January, don’t worry about my health. My Mom has a trainer working with me and teaching me what to do and I will be with Julie on the mountain. So what I need from you is help with pledges. Any help you can give will be greatly appreciated, not just by Friends-Together, but by me and my family. I know Steve will be watching and I promise to be safe.

Thank you for you help and best wishes,

Garrett