Chef Tony Sandeberg lends support to Mount Everest paraglide fundraiser
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Mount EVEREST
Well known industry figure Tony Sandeberg – former Advisory Executive Chef at Goodman Fielder Foodservice and Australian Culinary Olympic team representative – is lending his support to Ken Hutt OAM’s fundraising efforts to help eradicate polio.
Former Police Rescue officer, Rotarian, mountaineer and paraglider pilot Ken is attempting a paraglider flight from the summit of Mount Everest – as sanctioned by the Government of Nepal and in partnership with National Geographic Adventurer of the Year 2012 Suno Babu Sunawar.
This is Ken’s second attempt at the feat, after he was forced to call off his previous expedition in 2022 when he developed a serious chest infection while high on the mountain.
“Rotary International’s End Polio Now initiative has helped reduce global polio cases by more than 99.9 per cent”
As before, this new expedition is being undertaken in an effort to bring international attention to the fight against polio, by generating media coverage and encouraging donations in support of Rotary International’s End Polio Now Campaign.
“Polio has been eliminated from most countries on earth, yet the disease still threatens vulnerable children in the remaining endemic regions,” Ken says. “Rotary International’s End Polio Now initiative has helped reduce global polio cases by more than 99.9 per cent since the campaign commenced.”
Ken and his team are seeking corporate sponsorship to fund the logistical and operational requirements of the high altitude Everest mission and maximise their capacity to generate awareness and fundraising for polio eradication.
Tony Sandeberg is helping out with these fundraising efforts by putting up for sale his extensive collection of culinary memorabilia. From menus signed by famous chefs, to museum piece period culinary utensils like copper pans and moulds, presentation plates and framed photographs and illustrations, the collection embraces around 70 pieces – many of which were once on display at Goodman Fielder’s Sydney offices. You can see some of them in the accompanying photos.
“I haven’t yet worked out how best to value these and what platform to sell them on,” Tony says frankly. “But as the immediate goal is to raise funds for Ken’s expedition, I am certainly open to any interest or offers from anyone in the industry who wants to know more about the collection or would be keen to acquire it.”
In addition to Tony’s initiative, formal corporate sponsorship packages are available for businesses seeking to lend their support to Ken’s efforts. Sponsorship benefits will include national and state-based presentations tailored for staff, leadership teams, conferences and clients, sharing lessons learned from the expedition in leadership, teamwork, risk management and decision making, resilience and overcoming adversity and more.
Selected sponsors will even have the option to participate in the trek with Ken and the team to Everest Base Camp, including a dramatic flight into Tenzing-Hillary Airport followed by a 12 day trek through the Nepalese Himalayas.
“I have set a target of $60,000 for total sponsorship to cover the costs of the expedition and documentary which we need to get it off the ground, and anything raised above this will go to Rotary Foundation and be matched by the Gates Foundation,” Ken says. “General public donations will all go to the Polio Eradication Program once the expedition is confirmed a goer.”
For more information contact Lindsay Yeomans at lindsay@sosky.com.au or Tony Sandeberg at tonylechef54@gmail.com
