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Show life B2 Endruance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage MONDAY • SEPTEMBER 18 -2006 New Fundraising 'Challenge' brought to UVSC Alfred Lansing's amazing survival story Erik Frederickson Life Writer If you like great nonfiction, then this one won't leave your hands until it's finished. The book Endurance was written in 1959 by Alfred Lansing. He wrote the story using first-hand accounts and actual diaries of the men involved in a story of mankind accomplishing the impossible. Ernest Shackleton set sail in August 1914, in a ship called the Endurance. His objective was to cross the Antarctic continent on foot. This was Shackleton's third expedition to the Antarctic. He first went in 1901 as a member of a team. He went again in 1907, and led an expedition that got to within 97 miles of the South Pole only to turn back due to food shortage. In 1912, the South Pole was reached, a prize he had missed out on. Then in 1914, he felt it was his duty to Great Britain to lead an expedition across the Antarctic continent on foot. In August 1914, the ship named Endurance with a crew of 28 set sail for the South Georgia Islands. They docked in various ports along the way to stockpile supplies. On Dec. 5, 1914, the crew of the Endurance left South Georgia for Antarctica, not knowing that they would not step foot on solid ground for almost another year and a half. Shortly after departure, they began encountering their most dangerous enemy-huge chunks of ice. By midJanuary, their mighty ship Endurance was completely engulfed in ice. One crewmember commented upon their situation as being "stuck like an almond in the middle of a chocolate bar." They spent that winter with the immobile Endurance as their home. But as the pressure of the ice began to snap and break their ship to pieces, they began removing what they would and could use as supplies from the ship onto the ice. This included their lifeboats, which they would drag across the ice and use for their ultimate plan, finding help. They set up camp not far from the wreckage that was once the Endurance, going back to gather lumber for building shelter and eventually for firewood. As their floating island distanced itself further from Antarctica, it started turning to slush becoming more and more unstable. Shackleton knew that soon they would have to set sail in their three lifeboats for the nearest land mass: the uninhabited, godforsaken Elephant Island. On Apr. 8, 1915. Shackleton gave the order to "Launch the boats." They did so, packing the essentials for a treacherous journey to Elephant Island. Such a short journey would seem simple for a seasoned crew of seamen, yet it was anything but that. Seven days and 100 miles later, after fighting countless chunks of ice, waves, mists, extreme cold, and sleep deprivation, they were on solid ground again for the first time in almost a year and a half. What you have read thus far is just the beginning of one of the greatest, if not the greatest, survival story ever told. The miracle Shackleton performed over the course of this seemingly never-ending crisis was incredible. He was always stoic and confident towards his men, constantly striking hope in his emotionally, physically and mentally battered crew. The final journey had Shackleton leading a handful of men in a lifeboat made as seaworthy as possible across 800 miles of the stormiest oceans on the planet, back to South Georgia Island. It is a story so inspiring it couldn't be written better if it were fiction. This captivating true story will have you awestruck by the astounding power of the human spirit. Courtesy Photo/amazon.com Tired of running on empty? Pick up a UTA Ed Pass at the Campus Connection in the Student Center and start saving right away. Courtesy Photo/asu.edu Well-known Ira and Mary Lou Fulton. Fulton's come to UVSC with a helpful proposition. Eleanor Takahashi Life Writer Think UVSC could use an additional $800,000 this year to improve student life, award new scholarships and propel the college further toward university status? Of course, any student associated with UVSC will say yes to the above proposals, but the clincher is that every UVSC student has to help out in reaching that goal. This year's fundraising efforts, partnering Utah Valley State College and philanthropists Ira and Mary Lou Fulton, is an opportunity to advance UVSC's institution with financing that was formerly only available to the larger universities in Utah. Ira and Mary Lou Fulton, part-time residents of Utah County and owner's of Fulton Homes in Arizona, are widely known throughout both Utah and Arizona for their commitment to higher education. They began financially supporting Arizona State with an invitation to students, faculty, staff, alumni and individuals participating on college advisory boards to donate their personal money toward the improvement of their institution. The designated "Fulton Challenge," would reward the university with a matching contribution from the Fulton's themselves. Once successfully established at ASU, the Fulton's broadened their horizon's to include Brigham Young University's Hawaii and Utah campuses. There they were introduced to Val Hale, BYU's former athletic director. Seeing the need for new facilities for BYU's growing athletic department, the Fulton' s were instrumental in the completion of Brigham Young University's student athletic building and indoor practice facility, both located on that neighboring Utah Valley campus. Luckily for the blossoming Utah Valley State, Val Hale was acquired as the college's assistant vice president of external affairs and recently received a promotion to the position of vice president in the Center for Institutional Advancement. Last spring, Mr. Hale sat down with his friends, Mr. and Mrs. Fulton, and requested that they come to UVSC, tour the campus and speak to administrators, staff and students. What was the Fulton's reaction to Utah's fastest growing college? As Val Hale put it, "The Fulton's really like UVSC; they are impressed with the students, and the faculty...and they realize that UVSC plays a huge role in educating the youth of the valley." So, this past March the Fultons returned to the campus and made the big announcement. This year's "Fulton Challenge" on Utah Valley State's campus will include fundraising efforts directed by the college's academic departments, athletics, continuing education and all offices involved with student services. Donations, in all dollar amounts, can be directed to any one of these UVSC branches, and will be accepted in cash, See FULTON-B5 / |