FIGHTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING – UBERMAN – OCTOBER 8 – 15, 2020

Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary and the Westchester Rotary Club are leading the charge for District 5280’s fight against human trafficking.

 

Over the past several years, Rotarian Rob DeCou has focused his ultra-endurance races towards raising money and awareness to help end polio and fight human trafficking. In 2017, Rob completed a 146-mile ultra-marathon in Badwater Basin, becoming the 124th known person to cover this distance on foot known as the"World's Toughest Foot Race", and in doing so, raised awareness and nearly $700,000 for End Polio Now in collaboration with District Governor Cozette Vergari. In 2019, Rob swam over 31 miles across the Strait of Juan de Fuca from the U.S. to Canada, raising $10,000 for trafficking prevention efforts. In June 2020, Rob completed an “Everesting” climb, cycling uphill 29,029 feet over 230 miles in just under 27 hours, raising over $3,500 for HOPE61. Most recently, this July Rob cycled over 625 miles in the Race Across Oregon, an unforgiving course with nearly 50,000 feet of unending climbing, raising over $8,000 for In Our Backyard and bringing awareness to human trafficking.

 

On October 8, 2020, Rob will be compete in Uberman, the “World’s Toughest Ultra Ironman” and raise the bar not just in the endurance arena but also in the hopes of creating a significant impact by partnering with local organizations in the Greater Los Angeles area that are in the trenches with the fight against human trafficking.

 

Local Rotarians and friends will cheer Rob off on Thursday, October 8th at 5:00pm when he leaves San Pedro on the boat towards Catalina Island. Rob is planning on arriving at the shores of Palos Verdes Friday afternoon where a welcome party will join him after his 21-mile overnight swim. From there he will jump on his bike and Rotarians will be able to cheer him on throughout the day as he makes his way north to Malibu before heading inland in the evening towards Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park.

Is your company, organization, family, or church interested in helping End Human Trafficking? Click here to join us as a sponsor and support Rob’s efforts.

Are you a Rotarian who would like to get more involved? Contact Gail Goldstein, Foundation President, at gail.goldstein18@gmail.com.