| Two Americans from Kentucky, USA, Dale Torok & Martin Douthitt are to climb Mt Kosciuszko starting from the steep (Geehi) side on Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd February 2009. It is exactly the route taken 170 years ago by Paul Edmund Strzelecki. A film crew, Oscar Kantor & Mariusz Krzyzelewicz, is being sent with them by the Puls Polonii Cultural Foundation.
Dale Torok explains the reason they wish to pay homage to Gen. Kosciuszko.
The very interesting and intriguing things he and I have learned about the naming of Mt. Kosciuszko, the person for whom it is named, the fact that this very person played a significant role in the founding of our own country, the United States of America, has made this particular quest for both Martin and myself a more meaningful challenge than what it started out to be.
As a result, we now would like to take an American flag with us to Mt. Kosciuszko to place on the summit in honor of our national hero for whom the mountain is named. We had absolutely no thoughts in this area until we found out that this mountain is named for the same Kosciuszko that we revere in our country.
In addition to our flag, we would consider it an honor as Americans to also take a Polish flag to place in Kosciuszko's honor on the mountain that bears his name. Not to honor the Australians of Polish heritage, not to honor the mountain, but to honor Poland, the Country that gave us such a man at a time when he, his skills and his knowledge made a significant difference in our country's slim chance to have freedom and independence from Great Britain at a time when they ruled the sea and much of the world.
Without Kosciuszko's military contributions to our revolution it is frightening to think of what may have happened. Kosciuszko was that important a factor for the young United States. So much so that even to this day there is an annual ceremony in Philadelphia honoring Kosciuszko at the home where he lived. Kosciuszko's home is still maintained as a national memorial by the government of the United States and is open daily to the public. As you said in your message, I think Kosciuszko would agree with our sentiments rather than want the honor for himself, but regardless of what we think he would prefer, he is deserving of any and all recognition we can bestow on him.
If you wish to watch the interview with Martin on a television show in Kentucky...
just click here
I am Dale from Kentucky |
And I am Martin, also from Kentucky |
The two American ready to conquer Mt Kosciuszko |
I am Oscar from Australia |
Oscar's filming crew |
Krzyzelewski's voyages
Have a look here
The world of travel
www.picasaweb.google.com/cascadesaddle
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