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The Advertiser
2 days ago
- The Advertiser
Meet Carolyn, the oldest woman ever to reach Everest base camp
The self-described 'unadventurous' octogenarian decided she could reach Mt Everest base camp after looking at Youtube videos. Carolyn Robinson, 80, was intrigued when her rotary club in Berry, NSW, put out a call for anyone interested to go to Nepal and trek to base camp to raise money to eradicate polio. Motivated by the charity aspect of the climb, Carolyn turned to online videos. "I thought 'I can do that'. So that's what I did," she said. The club had 13 members volunteer for the April trip, with the youngest at 42 and the average age 67. "It was very, very tough because it was all uphill, and it was very rocky," she said. "We had to cross glaciers, which was a little bit nerve-wracking. But I just thought, if somebody else has done it, well, I can do it too." And it was that attitude that ensured the grandmother-of-four made it to base camp after 11 days, when four others in her Rotarian group didn't, due to altitude sickness. Ironically, Carolyn admits her age was her advantage. "Because I was so slow, I think that's what helped me acclimatise to the altitude," she said. Carolyn admits she didn't do as much training 'as I should have', but also believes that helped her because she didn't try and 'bound ahead' The successful trekker's main piece of advice to people of any age wanting to go to base camp is to not rush the climb. "Take it very slowly. You'll get there in the end," she said. Group organiser and guide Ken Hutt said he researched The Himalayan Database before the trip and discovered if Carolyn was successful, she would be the oldest woman in the world to have reached base camp. "No one came close to walking into Everest base camp at 80 years of age. She was hands down going to get the record if she made it," he said. Ken said when Carolyn arrived at base camp, it was "fantastic". "Jubilation everywhere. It was like it was party atmosphere," he said. But for Carolyn, the moment was more matter-of-fact. "I wasn't shouting out. I just thought, I've done it. I got here," she said. Ken said everyone in the group was inspirational and ended up raising over $50,000. But it was Carolyn who kept everyone focused on their goal. "The trip wasn't really designed for senior citizens, but they just excelled," he said. "Carolyn certainly inspired them to keep going and do those high-altitude paths. "They thought 'if she can do it and she's 80, we can do it.'" Carolyn believes anyone can have a go at getting out of their comfort zone. "I'm not an adrenaline junkie and I'm not an adventure seeker. I've never done anything like this before, ever," she said But after her record-breaking climb, Carolyn is up for some new adventures. "Kilimanjaro and the Camino. I've always wanted to do the Camino," she said. Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. The self-described 'unadventurous' octogenarian decided she could reach Mt Everest base camp after looking at Youtube videos. Carolyn Robinson, 80, was intrigued when her rotary club in Berry, NSW, put out a call for anyone interested to go to Nepal and trek to base camp to raise money to eradicate polio. Motivated by the charity aspect of the climb, Carolyn turned to online videos. "I thought 'I can do that'. So that's what I did," she said. The club had 13 members volunteer for the April trip, with the youngest at 42 and the average age 67. "It was very, very tough because it was all uphill, and it was very rocky," she said. "We had to cross glaciers, which was a little bit nerve-wracking. But I just thought, if somebody else has done it, well, I can do it too." And it was that attitude that ensured the grandmother-of-four made it to base camp after 11 days, when four others in her Rotarian group didn't, due to altitude sickness. Ironically, Carolyn admits her age was her advantage. "Because I was so slow, I think that's what helped me acclimatise to the altitude," she said. Carolyn admits she didn't do as much training 'as I should have', but also believes that helped her because she didn't try and 'bound ahead' The successful trekker's main piece of advice to people of any age wanting to go to base camp is to not rush the climb. "Take it very slowly. You'll get there in the end," she said. Group organiser and guide Ken Hutt said he researched The Himalayan Database before the trip and discovered if Carolyn was successful, she would be the oldest woman in the world to have reached base camp. "No one came close to walking into Everest base camp at 80 years of age. She was hands down going to get the record if she made it," he said. Ken said when Carolyn arrived at base camp, it was "fantastic". "Jubilation everywhere. It was like it was party atmosphere," he said. But for Carolyn, the moment was more matter-of-fact. "I wasn't shouting out. I just thought, I've done it. I got here," she said. Ken said everyone in the group was inspirational and ended up raising over $50,000. But it was Carolyn who kept everyone focused on their goal. "The trip wasn't really designed for senior citizens, but they just excelled," he said. "Carolyn certainly inspired them to keep going and do those high-altitude paths. "They thought 'if she can do it and she's 80, we can do it.'" Carolyn believes anyone can have a go at getting out of their comfort zone. "I'm not an adrenaline junkie and I'm not an adventure seeker. I've never done anything like this before, ever," she said But after her record-breaking climb, Carolyn is up for some new adventures. "Kilimanjaro and the Camino. I've always wanted to do the Camino," she said. Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. The self-described 'unadventurous' octogenarian decided she could reach Mt Everest base camp after looking at Youtube videos. Carolyn Robinson, 80, was intrigued when her rotary club in Berry, NSW, put out a call for anyone interested to go to Nepal and trek to base camp to raise money to eradicate polio. Motivated by the charity aspect of the climb, Carolyn turned to online videos. "I thought 'I can do that'. So that's what I did," she said. The club had 13 members volunteer for the April trip, with the youngest at 42 and the average age 67. "It was very, very tough because it was all uphill, and it was very rocky," she said. "We had to cross glaciers, which was a little bit nerve-wracking. But I just thought, if somebody else has done it, well, I can do it too." And it was that attitude that ensured the grandmother-of-four made it to base camp after 11 days, when four others in her Rotarian group didn't, due to altitude sickness. Ironically, Carolyn admits her age was her advantage. "Because I was so slow, I think that's what helped me acclimatise to the altitude," she said. Carolyn admits she didn't do as much training 'as I should have', but also believes that helped her because she didn't try and 'bound ahead' The successful trekker's main piece of advice to people of any age wanting to go to base camp is to not rush the climb. "Take it very slowly. You'll get there in the end," she said. Group organiser and guide Ken Hutt said he researched The Himalayan Database before the trip and discovered if Carolyn was successful, she would be the oldest woman in the world to have reached base camp. "No one came close to walking into Everest base camp at 80 years of age. She was hands down going to get the record if she made it," he said. Ken said when Carolyn arrived at base camp, it was "fantastic". "Jubilation everywhere. It was like it was party atmosphere," he said. But for Carolyn, the moment was more matter-of-fact. "I wasn't shouting out. I just thought, I've done it. I got here," she said. Ken said everyone in the group was inspirational and ended up raising over $50,000. But it was Carolyn who kept everyone focused on their goal. "The trip wasn't really designed for senior citizens, but they just excelled," he said. "Carolyn certainly inspired them to keep going and do those high-altitude paths. "They thought 'if she can do it and she's 80, we can do it.'" Carolyn believes anyone can have a go at getting out of their comfort zone. "I'm not an adrenaline junkie and I'm not an adventure seeker. I've never done anything like this before, ever," she said But after her record-breaking climb, Carolyn is up for some new adventures. "Kilimanjaro and the Camino. I've always wanted to do the Camino," she said. Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. The self-described 'unadventurous' octogenarian decided she could reach Mt Everest base camp after looking at Youtube videos. Carolyn Robinson, 80, was intrigued when her rotary club in Berry, NSW, put out a call for anyone interested to go to Nepal and trek to base camp to raise money to eradicate polio. Motivated by the charity aspect of the climb, Carolyn turned to online videos. "I thought 'I can do that'. So that's what I did," she said. The club had 13 members volunteer for the April trip, with the youngest at 42 and the average age 67. "It was very, very tough because it was all uphill, and it was very rocky," she said. "We had to cross glaciers, which was a little bit nerve-wracking. But I just thought, if somebody else has done it, well, I can do it too." And it was that attitude that ensured the grandmother-of-four made it to base camp after 11 days, when four others in her Rotarian group didn't, due to altitude sickness. Ironically, Carolyn admits her age was her advantage. "Because I was so slow, I think that's what helped me acclimatise to the altitude," she said. Carolyn admits she didn't do as much training 'as I should have', but also believes that helped her because she didn't try and 'bound ahead' The successful trekker's main piece of advice to people of any age wanting to go to base camp is to not rush the climb. "Take it very slowly. You'll get there in the end," she said. Group organiser and guide Ken Hutt said he researched The Himalayan Database before the trip and discovered if Carolyn was successful, she would be the oldest woman in the world to have reached base camp. "No one came close to walking into Everest base camp at 80 years of age. She was hands down going to get the record if she made it," he said. Ken said when Carolyn arrived at base camp, it was "fantastic". "Jubilation everywhere. It was like it was party atmosphere," he said. But for Carolyn, the moment was more matter-of-fact. "I wasn't shouting out. I just thought, I've done it. I got here," she said. Ken said everyone in the group was inspirational and ended up raising over $50,000. But it was Carolyn who kept everyone focused on their goal. "The trip wasn't really designed for senior citizens, but they just excelled," he said. "Carolyn certainly inspired them to keep going and do those high-altitude paths. "They thought 'if she can do it and she's 80, we can do it.'" Carolyn believes anyone can have a go at getting out of their comfort zone. "I'm not an adrenaline junkie and I'm not an adventure seeker. I've never done anything like this before, ever," she said But after her record-breaking climb, Carolyn is up for some new adventures. "Kilimanjaro and the Camino. I've always wanted to do the Camino," she said. Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
Hamilton Spectator
23-05-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
‘They have all changed lives': Rotary Club gala honours community champions
Five residents were honoured last Thursday during the Niagara-on-the-Lake Rotary Club's annual Paul Harris Fellow Awards Dinner — one of Rotary's highest honours for service to the community. The gala dinner, a club tradition for more than 25 years, drew a full house to Navy Hall on May 15 and recognized Rotarians Betty Disero, Greg Fedoryn and Martin Quick, along with NOTL residents Dr. Richard Merritt and Julia Buxton-Cox. 'They all amplify service above self,' said Jeannie Manning, the club's social media and marketing chair. 'They have all changed lives — and I don't think they know that they have.' While the number of nominees per year can change, they are always residents of the Niagara region and demonstrate one of the club's core principles. 'What we're looking for, always, is service above self, because that's a rotary objective for all of us,' said Carol Lipsett, past president and treasurer. The award is named after the founder of the first Rotary Club, formed in Chicago in 1905. Recipients have varying backgrounds, Lipsett said, and not all are Rotarians, such as Merritt and Buxton-Cox. 'But that's the whole point. It's to acknowledge our community — where we have people doing wonderful things,' she said. Merritt has practiced medicine in Niagara for more than 40 years, founded and chaired two non-governmental organizations and worked with the Friends of Fort George and the Niagara Historic Foundation. He was recognized as 2017's Living Landmark by the Niagara Foundation and co-chaired and led the construction of the Landscape of Nations with Indigenous leaders. Buxton-Cox volunteered at Pleasant Manor and Newark Neighbours and started the Farmworker Hub in March 2021, serving more than 1,500 seasonal farm workers in 2024 with services and supplies. Rotarian Disero joined in 2014 when she was elected to council. In 2018, she became the town's first female lord mayor and steered NOTL through the COVID-19 pandemic. During her time as lord mayor, Disero continued to help in committees and fundraisers and still does today. Having joined the Rotary Club and the Shaw Guild in 2017, Rotarian Fedoryn was hosting chair at the Shaw and served as an executive committee member. He was the secretary and president of the Rotary club and oversaw the updating of the club's constitution, bylaws and governance policies. Quick has been a Rotarian for more than 25 years, was club president in 2015-2016 and continues to serve as a house captain during the Holiday House Tour. Quick secured a grant of $120,000 for Wells of Hope in Guatemala and coordinated the El Carrizal Water Project. Among the political leaders in attendance at the awards dinner was MP Tony Baldinelli. 'It's an honour to be asked to participate,' said Baldinelli. 'I'm not a member of Rotary, but I participated in several of the Paul Harris Award recognition evenings and Rotary events.' Baldinelli loves the Rotary's objective, he said. 'Service above self. That encapsulates not only the commitment of these people — these individuals being recognized tonight — but of what Rotary stands for and all those who participate.' paigeseburn@
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Rotary Club of Decatur honors resident for his service to the community
May 20—Upon learning he would receive the Emmett McClary Four-Way Test Award from the Rotary Club of Decatur, Ronald Terry reacted by saying, "I just lived my life the best I could and don't deserve an award for it." Rotary Club Board of Directors member Bobby Johnson, assured him, "Trust me, Ronald, you do." The Rotary Club has handed out the award to a Rotarian and a non-Rotarian each year since 1994. Recipients must excel at the Four-Way Test, in which members ask, "Of the things we think, say or do: Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?" At Monday's meeting, the Rotary Club also presented the Emmett McClary award to Rotarian and Morgan County Commission Chairman Ray Long. Before announcing Terry's name, Johnson listed some previous recipients. The list included Mayor Lynn Fowler, Sen. Arthur Orr and Dr. George Hansberry. Johnson said Terry has been an inspiration in the community for decades. From the way he ran his business, Ronald Terry Electric, to his involvement with Decatur, she said, he has exemplified the ideals the award seeks to recognize. "He was one of the men who literally built Decatur," Johnson said, noting how Terry helped install electrical wiring in many houses built in the 1960s. Johnson continued that when the city was set to destroy the historic John T. Banks building in 1999; Terry stepped in and completely restored it. The building still stands on Oak Street. Terry also oversaw the construction of Austinville United Methodist Church and saved The Church at Stone River over $100,000 by building much of its Wholistic Center with his own hands. After selling his business in 2000, he continued to help those in the community by visiting people with home improvement needs and completing the projects. "He would go and fix it and take no money. That's the most remarkable thing I'd ever seen," Johnson said. Terry has also built wheelchair ramps throughout Decatur for those in need. Johnson recalled Terry building a ramp for a woman who lost her leg and her husband to a tornado in 2011. "Well, I've lived with him for almost 65 years, so I can truly say that he is one that is willing to help others. That has been his life," said Joyce Terry, Ronald's wife, who attended the meeting to support him. Joyce Terry recalled knowing that when they first started Ronald Terry Electric in 1974, it would work out well between her husband's work ethic and his treatment of other people. Johnson said that the business never needed to advertise because people always knew that Terry would follow through with his promises to customers. Johnson also spoke highly of Long, a fellow Rotarian. "He serves his community because of his love for Morgan County and his desire to make things better for all of us," Johnson said when announcing Long as the winner. — or 256-340-2437
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NC congressman hit another man with a clipboard at conference, Rotarian says
Rep. Chuck Edwards said he was the victim of a drunken man's belligerence on Saturday night, but a Rotarian who helped organize the event where Edwards spoke said the congressman was the aggressor — striking a man in anger with a clipboard after finishing his speech. Guy Gooder says he heard, but didn't see, Edwards hit the man and couldn't tell where the blow landed. Edwards' body was between Gooder and the other man, blocking his view, Gooder said. Edwards' staff did not return a phone call Monday. Apart from saying no one was injured and no one was arrested, police have not provided an official version of events that night. What's not in dispute: Edwards was scheduled to speak at 6 p.m. Saturday to Rotarians gathered in Asheville at the conference held by Rotary District 7670. Rotary clubs are intended not to be partisan or sectarian. So Guy Gooder, the district's community service project chair and a corporate sponsor of the event, said he had concerns as soon as he learned Edwards was a speaker, but he didn't expect what he witnessed Saturday night. Gooder, a graphic designer from Franklin, said Edwards was invited to speak about Helene relief and recovery, as Buncombe County Board of Commissioner Chairwoman Amanda Edwards — who is not related — had done the night before. He said she stayed on script. Edwards did not. Gooder said Edwards used his speech to defend President Donald Trump's administration, including on tariffs and cuts to federal agencies. Gooder said while Edwards said he might try to restore funding to the State Department to help the Rotarians' cause of polio eradication, he also spent his speech 'insulting' the federal agencies the Rotarians work with most closely. The Rotary put out a statement in February following the Trump administration's decision to pull out of the World Health Organization and to gut the U.S. Agency for International Development. Doing so complicated the club's mission to eradicate polio. 'He spent 30 minutes basically insulting the Rotarians' intelligence in his speech,' Gooder said. 'He insulted many of the programs that we partner with, agencies like the State Department, and the WHO, which is polio eradication, insulted those departments, talked about maybe we can get some funding back to the State Department for polio, so our efforts can continue.' Gooder, a critic of Trump who is registered as an unaffiliated voter, serves on the Franklin Tourism Development Authority board. Gooder stresses the importance of Rotarians to check their views on politics at the door when they walk into Rotarian events. When Edwards wrapped his speech, he had to walk down a center aisle between tables of Rotarians to get out the back door. 'If you do that for 30 minutes and you walk past somebody, they're probably going to insult you back,' Gooder said. And that's what happened. A man sitting at a table in the aisle addressed Edwards. 'The Rotarian basically said that was a load of B.S.,' Gooder said. 'Chuck stops and kind of bends over, kind of in-his-face type of stuff,' said Gooder, who said he was at the next table over, 'and then it continues from there.' Edwards, he said, 'hit the guy with his clipboard' while the man was still seated. Gooder said the two men left the room and continued arguing out of view of the Rotarians. Gooder identified the man, who told McClatchy he couldn't answer any questions but that he had just gotten off the phone with a police detective and that they're 'trying to come to a resolution.' McClatchy reached out to Edwards' office Saturday night. His spokeswoman Maria Kim said a statement was forthcoming. Midday Sunday, without a statement, but with confirmation from the Asheville Police Department that Edwards was present at a disturbance at the hotel where the Rotary conference took place, McClatchy published an article about police being called to the hotel. Edwards then immediately released a statement saying he 'refused to engage with an intoxicated man that was cursing.' 'He became more belligerent and later called the police,' Edwards' statement said. 'His behavior was embarrassing to the people at the event and was duly noted by the police. To my knowledge there was no further action taken by police.' Gooder defended the man, saying he was not belligerent. He said in all the years he's been with the Rotary he's never seen anyone be belligerent and that if a member was, such behavior would be shut down quickly. It's not tolerated. A message Sunday to ask about tips that Edwards was in fact the aggressor went unanswered. Seeking to verify those tips, McClatchy reached out by phone, text and email to organizers and people in attendance. McClatchy first reached out to Gooder on Sunday, who responded by email Monday morning agreeing to speak about what he witnessed. On Monday, after speaking to Gooder, McClatchy called Kim again and left a voicemail, but has not received any updates from Edwards' staff. The Asheville Police Department has not released any additional information. McClatchy has requested both the 911 call and the police report from the incident. The latter was not yet complete as of 4:30 p.m. Monday. The Rotarians were scheduled for a dinner break following Edwards' speech. Gooder said everyone could see the police cars that had arrived at the Embassy Suites by Hilton in downtown Asheville where the event was taking place and knew it had to do with what had just occurred. He said the two organizers of the conference went on stage and apologized. 'I was at least impressed by that,' Gooder said. 'I thought it was a terrible decision anyway, obviously, to roll the dice like that on a very partisan politician, but if the worst case scenario happens, at least you get up there and apologize.'
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Rep. Chuck Edwards Accused Of Hitting Man At Rotary Club Event
This article was co-published by TPM and The Assembly, which publishes deep reporting on power and place in North Carolina. A regional Rotary conference in Asheville on Saturday night appears to have ended with a confrontation between Western North Carolina's U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards (R) and an unknown man, with witnesses attesting that the congressman struck the attendee. 'He got into an argument at one of the tables with another Rotarian and Chuck got upset and hit the guy with a binder and said 'love you man' as he walked out,' said a Rotarian, who requested anonymity so as not to jeopardize his relationship with the organization. 'The guy he hit called the police and claimed he was assaulted,' the emailer continued. McClatchy newspapers published a similar story on Monday evening, quoting Rotarian Guy Gooder, who said he heard the fracas, but didn't see it. The man exchanged words with Edwards after the congressman delivered his remarks, Gooder said. 'Chuck stops and kind of bends over, kind of in-his-face type of stuff,' Gooder told McClatchy, saying Edwards 'hit the guy with his clipboard' while the man was still seated. According to Gooder, the two men then exited the conference room. Neither Edwards' D.C. office nor his district office responded to our requests for comment as of Monday night. McClatchy reported on early accounts of the incident on Sunday, including a statement from Edwards claiming he had 'refused to engage with an intoxicated man that was cursing' after his speech. 'He became more belligerent and later called the police,' the statement continued. 'His behavior was embarrassing to people at the event and was duly noted by the police. To my knowledge, there was no further action taken by police.' Asheville Police Department PIO Rick Rice confirmed via text message on Saturday night that the department was investigating a disturbance, and that Edwards 'was present at the time.' Rice said he did not have the gender or age of the person who filed the complaint, and said he would have more information on Monday. He also directed this reporter to file a public records request for a police report. (As of Monday evening, that request had not been fulfilled.) On Monday morning, Rice responded to further inquiries via text that 'the investigation is ongoing. There are no further updates at this time.' Reports began to emerge over the weekend that some kind of confrontation had occurred at the Embassy Suites Hilton Downtown Asheville where the conference was taking place. But what actually happened and who was the aggressor has remained the subject of mystery and plenty of rumors. Rotary Clubs throughout Western North Carolina came together for a conference on the theme 'Peace in Action,' which included dedicating a peace pole in Pritchard Park. Any other regional Rotary District 7670 event may have been a ho-hum affair, of interest only to other Rotarians. But word spread quickly Saturday night that police had responded to an incident involving Edwards. In the absence of more information, rumors flew through the weekend and into Monday, with multiple versions of events reaching reporters. In a text message, Rotary District 7670's Governor Connie Molland said it was her understanding the Buncombe County District Attorney's Office decided 'there was not enough probable cause and that they were dropping the investigation … It was a pretty vague situation.' Buncombe County District Attorney Todd Williams' office did not respond to a late Monday request for comment. Molland continued: 'Our conference was entitled Peace in Motion relating to Rotary's extensive work in building peace and understanding throughout the world. We are committed to ensuring that every individual who participates in Rotary activities understands their obligation to maintain an environment that promotes safety, courtesy, dignity and respect for all.' Additional accounts of Saturday night's disturbance suggest an alternative to allegations of an assault-by-office-supply. It may have been a bump or shoulder check, possibly accidental. 'I just happened to be in the lobby as part of the incident played out,' wrote another tipster, who was not there for the Rotary event but was in the hotel lobby. 'I was exiting the lobby to the parking area, a man in a suit was walking briskly in the same direction calling out 'he assaulted me.'' 'He kept saying 'that's assault, I have five witnesses, you hit me, I'm calling the police' and a lady in yellow was following him begging him 'Please don't do this!'' The man in the suit eventually caught up with Edwards, the witness said, and continued saying that he'd been assaulted. 'They all started a relatively quiet discussion,' the witness wrote, providing a photograph of Edwards talking to several men and a woman in a yellow dress. The emailer described bystanders, including herself, as skeptical and confused. This person 'assumed that Chuck had not outright hit the man, as nobody else in the vicinity got involved and nobody else in the lobby came forward to say what they'd seen.' The lobby and bar were very full of conference attendees, but no one seemed to know what had happened. 'Someone said, 'He's a congressman, there's no way he just hauled off and slapped a man in public.' Chris Cooper, professor of political science and public affairs at Western Carolina University, said he had heard rumors about a 'disturbance,' but none of them have been firsthand or particularly detailed. While 'wild rumors' abound in politics, Cooper noted the specific allegation of assault with a binder or clipboard 'seems to run counter to what we know about Chuck Edwards' and his buttoned-up demeanor. But Cooper also acknowledged political tensions are sky-high. The fact that there was a confrontation at a Rotary event, which is 'a relatively apolitical' organization, is worrisome, he explained. 'If the Rotary Club isn't a safe space for people to have friendly disagreements, then I don't know what is.'
