'Sacred To Many People' charity

By T.C. WORLEY

In 2008, I had the pleasure of being guided up my first climb on Devils Tower by tower guide, Frank Sanders. Frank has been a fixture at the popular Wyoming climbing spot since 1999. When I last saw Mr. Sanders, he was hauling his 60-some year-old body up Devils Tower at least once a day for an entire year to raise awareness for his non-profit, “Sacred To Many People.” He called the feat “Project 365.’

“Sacred To Many People” is a charity Frank started to give back to what he calls the “Third World Country right here in the heartland of America” — the Indian reservations of the United States. Money collected goes to pay utilities for clinics, delivering fresh fruits and clothing to the reservations, giving operating funds to clubs promoting healthy living, and much more. In 2009, the charity delivered over $300,000 worth of food, services and supplies to those in need.

For the next couple of months, STMP is partnering with “Shawn Alan Feinstein’s Million Dollar Challenge”. Each charity that participates will receive a cut of the $1,000,000 — the amount being dolled out depending on how much each raises and how many charities participate. So, the more a charity raises, the more they are rewarded.

If you are considering giving to a charity in 2010, Frank’s is worth a look. He’s an honest guy that feels like he’s been given a lot and is trying to do his part to give back. I can get behind that.

Go here to watch a slideshow (with audio) of my climb with Frank.

—T.C. Worley