Our first question for explorer, adventurer and philanthropist Ann Bancroft was, “So, what’s up with you and the Minnesota Roller Girls, and your name ‘Sno Mercy?’ You’re in the roller derby now?”Bancroft laughed. She could explain.
Bancroft is well known in Minnesota and the world as being the first woman to cross both the North and South Pole ice caps, the first woman to ski across Greenland, to cross Antarctica, and to be inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame for the United States.
A former teacher, Bancroft uses her trips and adventures as ways to engage young people in history, culture, geography, and science. Bancroft has successfully put her high profile into good use as a philanthropist and an educator. And she’s sought after as a speaker, telling her own story as an example of overcoming obstacles to achieve her dreams.
Bancroft is the keynote speaker March 6 at Minnetonka High School’s Winter Conference. The conference is an extension of the school’s Vantage Program, a career exploration program initiated in Minnetonka earlier this school year. The Winter Conference is open to all middle school and high school-aged students across the state.
But back to the roller derby.
Her Ann Bancroft Foundation partners with other groups who share its mission to inspire girls, including the Minnesota Roller Girls. “They’re philanthropic, too,” Bancroft said. “We share opportunities back and forth.”
And as a nod to their partnership, they bestowed “Sno Mercy” as her game name and the number 55 —“for my age at the time,” Bancroft said—for her team jersey.
Q: Describe the Ann Bancroft Foundation’s grant programs.
A: We raise money to award small grants, up to $500 for girls from all over the state of Minnesota. There are two granting programs—sports and fitness, and culture. If a girl has a dream to play hockey for example, but can’t because her family is challenged financially —she can’t afford equipment or fees, she can apply for a grant. Same for the arts. It helps girls dare to dream. Maybe she wants to take a music class, or take some lessons. Or go to Concordia language camp or dance camp. It’s not so much for a girl to pick a career, but for a kid who is struggling or a little bit lost and they need a boost to give them a positive experience, and an opportunity to make friends.
Q: How do girls find out about the grant program?
A: The girls themselves rarely seek out the grant. It’s usually someone from their family or a teacher from school. We have a pipeline with counselors at schools, we work with the United Way, Campfire, or anyone serving a group of girls. It can be as simple as a neighbor down the street getting in touch. So often, if a parent loses a job, it’s the sports or other activities that get pushed aside. And there are so many hidden costs. In rural areas, it can be a transportation issue. (www.annbandroftfoundation).
Q: What’s next on the adventure list for you?
A: We’re currently training for a three-month trip down the Ganges River in India. It’s me and an international team of six women, one from each continent. We’ll start after the monsoon season, end of September, beginning of October at the head of the Ganges, in the Himalayas. We’ll start off in the cold, where the glacial water feeds into the river and hike for two weeks. Then we’ll take local boats, and depending on rivers personality travel down the river. Along the way, we’re visiting schools and farms, different industries. We’re meeting mostly with local groups that have initiatives to clean up the river, and with children in their schools. Water is one of the top issues for all of us. It’s one resource that connects all of us. Water gives us a wide berth of topics to cover as the team travels the Ganges—economic, ecological, political, cultural. (www.yourexpedition.com)
Source: http://www.chanvillager.com
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