WL student hopes to wow world in African rally
‘No matter what happens, we’ll make it. Even if we have to ride camels’
From left to right, Keegan Warrington, a 2007 WLHS graduate, Tate Koenig and Zach Lowry, students at Oregon State University, plan to rally their customized vehicle from England to Africa to raise global awareness.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Keegan Warrington and his friends are not taking a low-key approach as they start Citizens of the World.
On Dec. 13, the West Linn resident and his sidekick Tate Koenig will be taking off on the Africa Rally, a road trip of a mere 10,000 miles from London to Cameroon in Africa, to raise awareness for their newly-created charity — COW.
“That’s one-fourth of the globe,” Warrington points out. “We figure it will take about six weeks.”
There have been many great travelers in the past, such as Dr. Livingston, Captain Spaulding and Hope and Crosby. But none of them ever went as far as Warrington and Koenig will in their 1986 Suzuki Samauri.
And it’s all for COW.
“We’re seeking to raise global awareness and responsibility,” Warrington said. “We want to raise a herd of people to do this. When I tell people about the Africa Rally it’s a great way to promote COW.”
A 2007 graduate of West Linn High School, the 20-year-old Warrington became fast friends and Chi Phi fraternity brothers with Koenig and Zach Lowry when he went to Oregon State University. What they shared was a love of adventure, and when the Africa Rally came across their sights they were instantly intrigued.
“At first we looked at the Mongol Rally, which is in Asia,” Koenig said. “But then we heard about the Africa Rally. We thought we would go big or go home.”
In fact, things got even bigger.
Lowry said, “When we started talking about the Africa Rally and how to raise funds for it, we thought, ‘This can be so much bigger.’”
Thus emerged the blossoming of COW, a name Warrington came up with (“We really liked it,” Lowry said.) and partnerships with three other charities that they will raise money for during the rally:
n Send a Cow: A Christian charity that literally sends cows to farmers in Africa.
n Ape Action Africa: Addresses threats faced by gorillas and chimpanzees.
n The Rain Forest Foundation: Supports projects in more than 20 countries that protect tropical rainforests and the people who live in them.
n FHP Reach Your Goals: Dedicated to helping people reach thier full potential through education, proactive work and community involvement.
Besides the $10,000 needed for expenses for the trip, Warrington said, “We want to raise $20,000 for charity.”
Now all they have to do is get to Cameroon. While Lowry handles the logistics from home, Warrington and Koenig will be among the 86 teams from all over the world who will try to get to the finish line first.
The dauntless duo is counting on a 1.3 liter engine to take them to Africa, and their goal is to pack light yet carry as much stuff as possible — spare engine parts, tires, sleeping bags and a couple of changes of clothes.
Yet they also plan to put COW immediately into action along the way by passing out “a ton of toothbrushes, clothing, Clif Bars and some canned food.”
Hopefully, they’ll bring a camera too, because Warrington and Koenig will cross every terrain and climate possible, swollen rivers, dry deserts, wild jungles, lands that many Westerners have never seen.
Koenig added, “We figure on seeing some pretty wild wildlife.”
They will have another challenge, too — no maps. Everyone will be left to their own devices on how to get past all of the hazards and end up in Kribi, Cameroon. To avoid starving, they plan to drop in on friends along the route, especially Lake Oswego native Jillian Fagan, who is now studying in Paris.
Their optimism and determination is very strong.
“Tate is very handy with a car,” Warrington said. “But no matter what happens, we’ll make it. If the car breaks down and we can’t fix it, then we’ll ride camels.”
Should the COW boys obtain a really big sponsorship, they will hang around Cameroon for a few weeks to do some promotion work. Otherwise they will return to the U.S., after a party for the teams that finished the Africa Rally and they sell their vehicle (or camels) for charity.
This is only the beginning of an effort that will be even greater than a 10,000-mile road trip.
“If we can help people, we have a moral obligation to do it,” Warrington said.
And with COW, he is not horsing around. So, Citizens of the World unite.
To donate or to get more information, go to www.beacow.com or call 503-729-6315.
Checks can be made payable to Citizens of the World/20305 Hubbard Cutoff NE/Aurora, OR 97002.