Nature Valley Tree Planting and Maple Tree Foundation

"Going the extra mile seems hard at first but simple endeavors make a big difference

when done with all your heart." -journeyingjames

May its roots grow deep, its leaves bloom and its trunks a refuge to many.

Most believe that one of the ten things you must do before you die is to plant a tree. And so together with more than 200 tree planting volunteers on the morning of August 7, I planted some Molave and Ipil-Ipil trees at the Ipo Dam, Norzagaray Bulacan. I am thankful to Nature Valley Philippines for this "make a difference" project. Each of the volunteers planted about 5 trees after 1 hour of hike. It feels good to be doing something not only for yourself but for your kids, you future, for nature. I just hope and pray that the Dumagats and DENR would be serious to nurture the trees we planted.

The volunteers on their way to the mountain

Start of the 1 hour hike

We are happy to plant trees

TBR Marathon Classmates

The advocacy started when 11,200 runners joined the Nature Valley Run last May 30, 2010. I'm glad that Nature Valley is true to their words as this tree planting activity is already the part 2 of the 3-part tree planting endeavor. Thankful that I'm part of this worthy advocacy.

With some Dumagats & fellow volunteers (Odie, Leo and Odette)

On a personal level, I joined because I love nature, the mountains, the trees and I'm an outdoor person. It would break my heart to climb a deforested mountain. Also, I learned that this would benefit the Dumagat tribes that are living near the mountains. During college, I have had a lot of opportunities to help the Dumagats of Aurora province and I think this is a good follow up, this time the Dumagats of Bulacan. For more info, you can visit the Nature Valley website.

After the tree planting, Nature Valley kind enough to give us loot bag. Double Kudos to Nature Valley! I was looking for the Haagen Dazs ice cream but there is none.hahaha

How I wish all 'runs' that are being organize are like this. This is really what we call run the 'extra mile.' But of course you also want to be part of it. Sorry, but the activity already ended. Maybe I can offer you some suggestions to start in your own little way:
1. Stop littering and teach others to do the same.
2. Segregate and Recycle.
3. Bring your own bag when going shopping.
4. Bring your own mug at Starbucks/CBTL.
5. Stop using straw in fastfoods, its plastic. Its cool to drink without the straw.
6. Buy 1.5L of Gatorade instead of the usual 500ml bottle.
7. Help my friend Kassy. Read further for more details...


Let's hold our hands together, go the extra mile- for NATURE, for the FUTURE!

http://mapletreefoundation.net/

Kassy, a marathoner friend is running her 2nd Marathon at the SC Standard Chartered Marathon on December 5, 2010. She will do this for the benefit of The Mapple Tree Foundation. She is raising some bucks "to help deprived and underserved mountain communities live healthy, productive, and peaceful lives with sustainable resource development programs that provide basic services, livelihood development, and education."


Please check out her blog HERE and help put smile on the faces of the kids living in the mountains. You don't need to do something BIG or be FAMOUS in order to make a difference. small things make a BIG difference when done with all your heart.


Note: Some pictures are from Odie, a fellow runner and tree planting volunteer. Nice meeting you guys!

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thanks for reading journeyingjames- my running stories and travel discoveries-- 

let's walk, run, climb, ride, swim and fly. 

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The Day After the Challenge

SLEEP ALL DAY

I just woke up. I think this is the 5th time I woke up this day.

1st- inside Montenegro Lines Office at Roxas Pier, Oriental Mindoro (1:50am)

2nd- inside the truck full of cows and goats where I hitchhiked (3:45am)

3rd- inside the truck again (6:00am), nearing Calapan City Port

4th- inside the ship (10:05am), nearing Batangas City Port

5th- my Aunt's house in Lipa City where I headed before going back to Laguna (5:30pm)

REST and EAT

I'm so tired "kapoy"! What I want to do is just sleep all day. Not that I wasn't able to sleep during the backpacking challenge. I got lots of sleep actually in different places- mountains, beach fronts, beach, bahay-kubo, comfortable beds, etc.

 In one of my hotels: The Woods Hotel, Somewhere in Negros Occidental

I think my body just missed the comfort of a real home. I'm here in what I consider my 2nd home, and as much as I want to go back to Laguna today, I think I will just go home tomorrow. What I really want now is to sleep and eat.

MASSAGE

One thing more, I want to have a full-body massage from the feet up. Friends recommend Wensha. I love too go there but that's in Manila, I think I will just visit the spa lounge near our house in Los Banos.

TOTAL EXPENSES?

I still haven't computed my total expenses. All I know is that I only got (*checking my coin purse*) PhP24 in my pocket. I brought in less than PhP4,000.00 when I boarded the plane to Silay-Bacolod Airport 14 days ago. I also left my credit cards and ATM card in the house so there will be no plan B. Anyway, I have the rest of the week to compute that.

 My boarding pass (when I arrived at T2, the checking-in counter was already closed.) 

Good thing, someone still allowed me to board the plane. I don't have a check-in baggage so that made it was easier.

As of now, I just want to eat, sleep and find time to write my stories, upload some photos and catch up with online friends.

Thanks for being with me in this journey. Let me thank you for your prayers and encouragement.

Thank God I'm safe and I don't have a disease or anything.

Oh, before I forgot, please visit back for the stories in the following days. I hope you can mention and share this to your friends or people you know who loves adventure, travel or backpacking. Thanks again! 

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Last 2 Days?

I know my bed misses me already. I practiced not sleeping on it a week after my planned 2 weeks of Backpacking Trip to the Visayas (see post if you haven't read yet). And here I am in one of the loved islands in the Philippines- Boracay. I want to call it the Island of the Koreans! hahaha =) Koreans everywhere! Nobody, nobody but...

 Day 10: Iloilo City DIY Walking Tour

My 12th day started during the midnight with music, dancing and party! It was a blast. So I woke up late and spent the day beach bumming (watched the day pass by at Hotel Isla Boracay shore) and more beach bumming (swam with friends ear the Grotto). And I took some weird and funny photos too!

Beach-bumming the whole day at Station3, Boracay Island

The Boracay experience is a love/hate thing, I hope I can find time to gather my ideas to write on this. Anyway, the reality is that I have 2 days left and the trip is done. But I still have excess money. Would you believe that after 12 days of backpacking and travel and eating I am averaging PhP245. I can't believe this either. But I think if others want to do this too, a PhP350 is better.

Tomorrow I will be heading to Carabao Island (locals call it Hambil Island). It is already part of Romblon. Same with Guimaras, I don't know anyone there and I do not know where will I stay. I'm excited because after 2 days I will going home already. A bit sad because 14 days seems so fast. 

As of now, I just want to thank all my friends for the prayers, CouchSurfing for the couch/bed and my hammock for the shelter when I needed it most.

To my blogger friends, I'm sorry If I cannot catch up with your posts. I will do just that when I get home. I want to make 'running' posts too because I was able to run 3 times in different places. Tomorrow I will run again on Boracay sand.

P.S. I think I want to do this more often, I even want to write a book, "Backpacking the Philippines: 1 Ninoy A Day." What do you think? Would it sell?

Trying to hug the biggest church bell in Asia, 3rd in the World in Panay, Capiz.

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