Oxygen organizes a Treasure Hunt in the Old City

• oxigen
• 16 octombrie 2013

Saturday, 19^th of October, at 1 o’clock, Oxygen invites you to a challenging Treasure Hunt. The starting point is at Șelari Barrier. We are waiting for you with lots of surprises in the Old City.

In order to participate, you have to Like our Facebook page, to share our contest advertising post and to come Saturday at the starting point.

Prizes: 2 free trips to Stan’s Valley including accommodation, transport by bus and the experience of the unique via ferrata trail in Romania – all in presence of a trained guide.

Look for the Oxygen Green and come with us on mountains!

If you have any questions, please do call as at 0726.992.873/0721.566.427!

Paradise for Biodiversity

• oxigen
• 11 septembrie 2013

“Paradise of biodiversity” – multinational project funded by the European Union through Youth in Action Programme, Cooperation with the Neighbouring Countries of the European Union (Action 3.1 a)

• Location: Murighiol, Danube Delta
• Period of the project: 1 August – 31 October 2013
• Period of activities included in the project: 15-22 September 2013
• Participants: 34 young people from youth organizations from 4 countries
• The aim of the project “Paradise of biodiversity” is to raise awareness among youth from participating countries at the project (Russia, Spain, Moldova and Romania) regarding the importance of biodiversity conservancy from protected natural areas that the project focuses on.

The objectives of the project:

Advocate youth active citizenship in general and youth European citizenship in particular.

O1 – knowledge enhancement of the 34 youngsters from the participating countries at this project (Russia, Spain, Moldova and Romania) regarding the impact of human actions on the environment and the measures for nature conservancy;

O2 – raising awareness and responsibility among youth regarding nature conservancy;

O3 – increase engagement level of the 34 youngsters from the participating countries at this project (Russia, Spain, Moldova and Romania) in future activities on biodiversity preservation;

O4 – advocacy of non-formal education.

Project description:Biodiversity is fundamental for „the services of ecosystems“ which nature offers us: clime adjustment, water and air, soil fertility and food production, fuel, fibers and medicines. We tend to think all these are a given, but the situation is the opposite. We are responsible to leave this heritage in a good state to our children. That is why, nowadays, biodiversity conservancy represents one of the most vital international problems. Biodiversity conservancy is necessary not only to protect our lives in the present, but it’s an effort for the following generations as biodiversity is the engine that keeps the global and regional ecologic balance. It guarantees the renewal of the biological resources and maintains the necessary environment quality. Deltas are areas that continuously develop and change, becoming the perfect home for hundreds of plant and animal species. The biodiversity concept is essential for deltas as in these spaces, flora and fauna reach almost inconceivable levels of variety and natural luxuriance that rarely we are given to see on other landforms.

“Paradise of biodiversity” gathers young people from countries that have deltas focusing on the Danube Delta, the Volga River Delta and the Donana National Park (delta of river Guadalquivir). The methods of indoor and outdoor activities implementation are mainly used in non-formal education, in order to learn about such a fundamental topic as biodiversity in a creative and interactive manner. This project is implemented by the following NGOs:

• AEGEE, Russia : www.aegee-moskva.ru
• IMAGINA, Area de Juventud, Spain: www.imaginalcobendas.org
• ADVIT Europe without boders, Republic of Moldova: www.voluntariat.md
• Association for Initiatives and Continuous Development-4A-ction, Romania – Project coordinator: www.a4action.ro
• Oxigen Organization – Project coordinator: asociatiaoxigen.ro

Alternative – pay it forward to Snagov

• oxigen
• 20 august 2013

Come to learn how to learn. Register for Alternative Project!

Location: Snagov, Ilfov County

Project period: 15 August – 31 August 2013

Period of activities implementation: 01 September – 31 October 2013

Participants: 50 youngsters from Snagov, Ilfov County

The aim of the project is to create programmes of spending the spare time. Participants are young persons with ages between 15 and 20 years old from Snagov, Ilfov County. We want this project to have the main focus on youth.

Alternative – local project for youth, funded by the European Union through Youth in Action Programme, Youth Initiatives (Action 1.2).

The objectives of the project:

• O1 – increse information aquirement among young people in Snagov, Ilfov County regarding means of spending spare time;
• O2 – increase information aquirement among young people in Snagov, Ilfov County regarding current youth programmes (Youth in Action, Life learning programme, etc);
• O3 – increase information aquirement, education level and raise awareness among youth in Snagov regarding environment preservation;
• O4 – ability development of the 50 young persons with ages between 15 and 20 years old to create their own programmes of spending free time.

Register for “Alternative” Project here: https://a4action.ro/inscriere-alternative/

Super Andy runs for “Children’s Heart”

• oxigen
• 9 aprilie 2013

Andreea Gabriela Ion aka Super Andy ran on Sunday, 7^th of April, in IOR Park for a noble cause “Run for Children’s Heart”. ING donates 2 euros for each and every kilometre that people run. There have been registered 145 competitors who ran 1495,5 km, the equivalent of 2991 euros. These money are donated for new furniture, new beds and new medical devices for the Cardiology Unit of “Marie Curie” Emergency Hospital for Children. They are also used for the support of impaired children, who need cardiology surgical interventions abroad.Congratulation Super Andy!

David Neacşu and Oxigen Organization mapped a new mountain trail towards Margherita Peak in Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda

• oxigen
• 21 martie 2013

– The old trail had been deteriorated by global warming in the last 10 years –

For the first time, a Romanian team has mapped by GPS a new mountain trail on Rwenzori Mountains (5109 m), in Uganda. Stanly Mount is a glacier and important part of the old climbing trail. Its ice level has decreased with over 600 m in the last 10 years making it almost impossible to climb.

The expedition led by David Neacşu had 5 members of Oxygen Organization. Its main objectives that have been successfully accomplished are: to measure the ice level of Stanley Mount; to map a new climbing trail of Rwenzori Mountains and to reach Margherita Peak (5109 m).

“This year, we have made the 4^th expedition on Rwenzori Mountains and we have noticed again a 80 metres decrease of ice level on Stanley Mount. If in 2004, we had reached Margherita Peak by  passing over the ice, this year, because of massive ice melting, a suspended ladder appeared towards another peak. Thus, we had mapped by GPS another climbing trail which has a higher technical degree and is 40 minutes longer than the old one.

Despite a greater difficulty level of the climbing trail comparative to former years, the 9 day-expedition ended by reaching Margherita Peak.”, declared the Romanian mountaineer, David Neacşu.

“For us, the Oxygen members, Margherita Peak represents one of the highest peaks ever climbed. It has been a difficult trail, with physical impediments as well as psychological blocks caused by slow acclimatization to high altitudes. Despite all these, we have succeeded in climbing the peak and mapping a new trail which can be used by other mountaineers from now on. This expedition is our alarm signal and plea for nature conservancy by all people. Ice melting speed is one of the most relevant and alarming indicators of the danger of global warming. In the next 10-15 years, we forecast that the glacier Stanley Mount will be completely melted and, unfortunately, it will not be the only glacier in this situation.

The main cause of these damages is represented by our human actions and it’s for sure that the solution stays as well in our actions”, added Sorin Delivasive, the President of Oxygen Organization.

United for mountains: Oxygen & EcoXtrem

• oxigen
• 5 februarie 2013

During winter, when you do not know whether to taste the joys of nature or to dream at the future godly birth, we decide to go on a mountain adventure – a spiritual experience of self-improvement and fraternization for idealism. EcoXtrem and Oxigen choose to explore the imposing Bucegi Massif where each element keeps the harmony of this realm that has never forgot the truth and peace. We shake hands with each other. Everyone shows enthusiasm especially because we have the chance to share thoughts and feelings with mountaineers like David NEACŞU and Dragoş SAIOC. We ask for the weather forecast from Mountain Rescue services and meteorological station. They inform us that a strong wind is present in the northern part of the massif and that in some areas, avalanches have produced. Thus, we choose the optimum trail for our group and our equipment in order to avoid unpleasant events. We want to reach Padina, but the final decision will be made at Piatra Arsă.

The climbing starts with small steps but at a uniform pace. After the first break for body temperature balance, we slow down the pace only on the steep slopes that pass the valleys. I gladly notice that the two teams have homogeneously mingled and exchange ideas, mountain stories, use techniques of ice axes and ice crampons. People’s freedom and openness towards knowledge are in the air. Age barriers vanished long ago and prejudices flew with the winds.

After a 5 hour ascension, we stop to eat and to get back our energy again. We prepare ourselves for the last part of our trail – a difficult part – by noticing the versants and looking for less risky steps to take.

We finally reach Bucegi Plateau where a friendly weather welcomes us. We continue our ascension to Piatra Arsă, but this time Weather God has turned his back on us and forced the group to spend the night here.

After the long-expected meal (we eat our homemade food to which we add with other things from our host), we congratulate ourselves with a glass of wine for our successful ascension.

Ideas discussed over our climbing come to another form – that of projects common to both Oxygen and EcoXtrem. Main topics focus on ethics and methodology in mountaineering and ecology.

We realise we all manifest a great desire to establish an efficient communication between those who have mountaineering passion and to implement projects that engage more national mountain organizations.

In the end, we let ourselves to the magic of mountain songs and of their stories, thoughts, memories.

Next day chosen trail led us to Sinaia.

We have our last meal together and head back to our homes wishing for another adventure like this with more mountain organizations.

David Neacşu and Oxygen Organization on Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda

• oxigen
• 30 ianuarie 2013

Opening: an African mountain trail is mapped by a Romanian team

David Neacşu and Oxygen Organization mapp a new climbing trail on Rwenzori Mountains.

David Neacşu, the leader of the first Romanian expedition on Everest, with five Oxygen members go on an expedition on Rwenzori Mountains having as main objective to map a new mountain trail towards Margherita Peak (5109 m), climbing the glacier Stanley Mount. The glacier, tracked by David Neacşu for eight years, had decreased because of the global warming, destroying the old climbing trails.

“In 2004, I planned my first expedition on Rwenzori Mountains and I reached Margherita Peak (5109 m). The ice on Stanley Mount, which I have climbed on my way to the peak, began from 4300 m. In 2011, I planned the second expedition on Rwenzori. After 7 years from the first measurement, the ice on Stanley level decreased with 300 m. In 2012, that is in one year, it has decreased with 200 m, starting from 4800 m altitude. Old climbing trails are impossible to use, thus, the objetive of our expedition became mapping a new trail, trying to raise awareness at the same time on global warming phenomenon. It’s quite probable that we are the last Romanians to use the existing trail, if the ice continues to melt at the same speed.”, declared mountaineer David Neacşu.

“Global warming is an authentic threat and the melting speed of ice on Stanley Mount is a warning sent by nature. This warning has to be propagated by each and everyone of us. Environment protection is the main objective of Oxygen Organization and this is the reason David invited us to join him on this expedition. We believe that, first of all, we need to offer priority to nature conservancy as even the least significant human actions may cause irreversible changes, either good or bad. All depend on us!”, added Sorin Delivasile, the President of Oxygen Organization.

The expedition takes place between 12-21 February 2013. The flight is from Bucharest to Entebbe (Uganda) via Istanbul. We leave Entebbe for Kasese where we start our adventure through the equatorial jungle for 3 days until we reach Helena Hut at 4300 m altitude. From this point, we climb  what remained from Stanley glacier in order to reach Margherita Peak (5109 m).

We are, probably, the last Romanian to pass this glacier on the old climbing trail.

Expedition members are David Neacşu, Sorin Delivasile, Andrei Voicu, Pestişanu Sergio, Radu Coman, Cristian Cochină.

Workshop with Mountain Rescuer Relu Nica

• oxigen
• 7 ianuarie 2013

We have the pleasure and honour to invite you to a special workshop Wednesday, 9 January, at 7 o’clock, at Carol 53. It is special because it is held by one of the most experienced mountain rescuers, Relu Nica (Chief Mountain Rescue Centre – Argeş Team). He will talk about the job of mountain rescuer, work methodology used by Mountain Rescue Centre in Făgăraş Mountains, rescue missions of avalanche victims and many other things. Open discussion for everyone! You’re all welcomed!Work experience:1989 (August): graduated SalvaSpeo School, Radu Craioveanu class

2003: Mountain Rescuer Certificate

1986 (January): Făgăraş main ridge – Iezerul Mare – Câineni – Olt Valley in only 5 days

1986-1993: Specialized military school

1988: Judo National Vice Champion – 80 km

1988 (February): first ice climbing trails in Stan’s Valley (Făgăraş Mountains)

1990: Black Belt 1^st Dan in Jujitsu

1996-2001: Ninjutsu at Yamabushi Dojo School, Piteşti. Earned brown belt 1^st kiu-sempai

2002-2007: Piscu Negru Lodge Keeper – DN 7c – km 102 – Fagăraş Mountains

2005-2006 (winter): design and building of the first ice hotel in Romania at Lake Bâlea

2006: Oceanic Club Member, Constanţa

2006 (August): Junior Explorer Expedition, Turkey

2007 (April): Atlas 2007 Expedition – Morocco

2007-now: Trainer at EcoXtrem

2008: Euphrates Expedition in Syrian Arab Republic

2008: Building Capra Adventure Park in Făgăraş Mountains – the 2^nd largest adventure park in Romania

The greatest mountain camp in Romania (114 persons, 1 month duration): Garofiţa Piatrei Craiului

The greatest quantity of garbage gathered in a camp: 144 tons – Piscu Negru, Făgăraş Mountains

The most difficult mountaineer trail: 6B,12 lengths of cord, Cheile Bicazului

The most interesting journey: Atlas 2007 Expedition in Morocco for 1 month

The most challenging mountain trail: Winter Mountaineer competition – Retezat Mountains (February 1992)