2012 Village Variety Pass
The Village Variety Pass is back! Beginning April 1, Kismet will launch the Village Variety Pass Campaign to help offset the costs of adding an extra program week. Donors who contribute $100 or more between April 1 and September 1 will receive a Village Variety Pass, a discount card that offers special deals at Flatbread Company, IME, Frontside Grind, The Nereledge Inn, and The White Mountain Cupcakery. In addition to a free pizza at Flatbread Company, donors who participate will also enjoy 10% off one full-priced item at IME, a free 16-ounce hot or 20-ounce cold coffee drink at Frontside Grind, 10% off a stay at the Nereledge Inn, and a buy-three-get-one-free deal at The White Mountain Cupcakery. Thanks to all of our sponsors and donors for making this spring fundraising campaign possible!

2012 Village Variety Pass – Press Release (doc file)

Summer Program Notes
Welcome aboard Berlin Middle School! In 2012, Kismet will accept two students from Berlin Middle School, with plans to accept more students from Beriin in 2013. Berlin Middle School’s Guidance Counselor, Adrienne Backer, says, “We’re so excited to be a part of Kismet this year and are looking forward to a long relationship. Thank you for this opportunity!” Kismet currently has 9 students from Gorham, for a total of 11 students from New Hampshire’s North Country in 2012.

The Kismet Board of Directors recently voted to extend Kismet’s 2012 program season from 6 weeks to 7! Kismet will add an extra beginner week to the program, for a total of 20 new students in 2012. Founder and Program Director Mike Jewell and Kismet’s Administrative Assistant Lisa Woodbury have been hard at work presenting the program and interviewing at sending schools in Portland, Boston, Manchester, Bartlett, Gorham, and Berlin. “We’ve had more candidates than ever before and we’re overjoyed that we can double the number of beginner students whom we serve,” says Founder and Program Director, Mike Jewell.

Kristin Stelmok is delighted to join the Kismet team as Interim Executive Director from May 1 through August 31. A writer and educator for the past seven years, Kristin brings a fresh perspective to Kismet. She earned both her BA and MA in English the University of Maine-Orono. She has taught writing at Plymouth State University and served as an educator for the Upward Bound program. Kristin will be in charge while Alyssa is away on maternity leave. Welcome, Kristin!

April 18, 2012 – Sarah Garlick will present Wild Stone!
Join us on April 18, 2012 at REI-Boston! Sarah Garlick will present her fantastic slideshow Wild Stone at REI in Boston from 6:30-8:00 PM. REI in Boston is located at the Landmark Center, right near Fenway Park. You can also check out the Wild Stone event page on Facebook.

Check out the info in the White Mountain Cafe’s newsletter, The White Mountain Expresso.

“The generosity of the Great Circle Foundation will continue to allow Kismet students to have the opportunity to benefit from the technical and life skills that a climbing education can offer. We are delighted that the Great Circle Foundation has chosen to make Kismet Rock Foundation a philanthropic priority. Our warmest thanks to Great Circle for enabling children from low income families to be a part of the Kismet family,” says Brian Post, Kismet Rock Foundation Board Chairperson.

Kismet Rock Foundation emerged out of a desire of the director, Mike Jewell, to offer the same climbing instruction to economically disadvantaged children as he had given to families throughout his guiding career. In 1999, Mike asked a childhood friend, Stanley West, to find four children in southern New Jersey and bring them to New Hampshire for one week of technical climbing instruction. This initial project was accomplished with little money and with much effort on the part of some very kind and generous people. The project received media attention and Mike started Kismet the next year. Kismet was born in 2000, with the support of many friends and organizations.

Kismet’s summer season will launch in July 2012. To learn more about Kismet, please visit www.kismetrockfoundation.org.

Download as a docx or pdf file.

Chris and Jeannie Bishop, and their son Christopher, started the Ryan E. Bishop Outdoor Leadership Fund to honor the memory of their son and brother, Ryan E. Bishop. Twenty-one-year-old Ryan died tragically during a canoeing trip in southern Utah in late April while saving a friend’s life. During the summer and fall of 2011, his family created two funds to ensure that Ryan’s passion for life and his love of the great outdoors will live on: The Ryan E. Bishop Outdoor Leadership Fund at the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and the Westminster College Scholarship Fund in Salt Lake City. The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation offered a generous 10 percent matching grant to the contributions made in memory of Ryan during the summer.

“Kismet Rock Foundation is honored to be the first Ryan E. Bishop Outdoor Leadership Fund scholarship recipient,” says Brian Post, Kismet Board Chairperson. “This scholarship will be instrumental in allowing several Kismet students to experience the outdoors through the unique perspective that climbing offers. We send our sincerest gratitude to the Ryan E. Bishop Outdoor Leadership Fund at the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation for helping Kismet to transform the lives of underserved youth through an education in technical climbing.”

The organization serves students who might not otherwise have an opportunity such as the one Kismet offers. By developing their potential, Kismet prepares students to contribute to their communities and their culture throughout their lives.

Kismet currently serves seven public schools in New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts, offering students one week of climbing instruction per summer for four summers. The summer season will begin in July 2012.

For more information about Kismet Rock Foundation, please visit www.kismetrockfoundation.org. For more information about Ryan Bishop and efforts to honor his memory, please visit the Explore for Bishop website, set to launch in 2012 at www.ExploreForBishop.com.

Download as a docx or pdf file.

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CONTACT: ALYSSA WALKER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
603.730.2715

Kismet Rock Foundation thanks supporters for the 3rd Annual Cliff Run

North Conway, NH – September 23, 2011 – Over 40 runners gathered at Echo Lake State Park on Sunday morning, September 18, for the third annual Cliff Run to benefit Kismet Rock Foundation. Race director Gabe Flanders designed the challenging course, where runners gained over 1,100 feet of elevation in just five miles.

Leslie Beckwith of North Conway was 1st female overall with a time of 51:42, breaking the previous record by nearly two minutes. Dawn Heinrich of Wolfeboro was 2nd woman overall and 1st in her age group. Colleen Ryan of Danvers, MA was 3rd female overall.

Tim Livingston of Conway was 1st male overall with a time of 44:05, breaking the previous record, held by Carl Swenson, by over four minutes. Carl came in second, and first in his age group, still faster than his own old record. Brent Perdrizet of Lyme was 3rd male overall.

Winners received unique, hand-made trophies in addition to prizes from La Sportiva representative Doug Madara. “It’s great to have such a wonderful race sponsor like La Sportiva,” Flanders said.

Kismet Rock Foundation is a non-profit that serves economically underprivileged students who might otherwise ‘fall through the cracks’ of their highly stressed public school systems. By developing their potential, Kismet prepares students to contribute to their communities and their culture throughout their lives.

Kismet serves seven public schools in New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts; offering students one week per summer of programs for up to four years. To make a donation, volunteer or learn more about Kismet Rock Foundation and its climbing programs for New England youth please visit www.kismetrockfoundation.org, email info@kismetrockfoundation.org or call 603-730-2715. Kismet Rock Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)3 and all donations are tax deductible.

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Contact:
Alyssa Walker
Executive Director
Kismet Rock Foundation
PO Box 1744
North Conway, NH 03860
603.730.2715

2011 Cliff Run Results

Kismet Cliff Run – 2011 Results Press Release (PDF)

Check out some photos of the 2011 Kismet Cliff Run on Kismet’s Facebook Page.

2011 Kismet Cliff Run on Active.com

2011 Kismet Cliff Run Registration Form (PDF)

2011 Kismet Cliff Run Press Release (PDF)

La Sportiva will sponsor the third annual Cliff Run to benefit Kismet Rock Foundation on September 18, 2011 at 10:00 AM at Echo Lake State Park in North Conway, NH.

The Kismet Cliff Run is a challenging, five mile race around beautiful Cathedral and Whitehorse Ledges in North Conway, New Hampshire. Come for the steep climbs and descents, technical singletrack, and stunning views, with approximately 1,100 feet of elevation gain. Starts and finishes at Echo Lake State Park. This event is USATF sanctioned, and part of the Eastern New England Trail Running Series. There is also a non-competitive walking division!

La Sportiva is again offering $200 to a runner who can break the course record! There will be prizes for top finishers including La Sportiva shoe gift certificates for 1st place men/women.