New education station is first in the nation
To meet Sir Robert Charles Swan and feel the intensity–regarding his quest to save our planet–is an awe inspiring and unforgettable experience in itself.
Among an extensive list of his accomplishments, Swan is particularly proud to be the first person ever to walk both the Antarctic (South Pole/1986) and the Arctic (North Pole/1989).
It was in the Antarctic that Swan came up with the idea for the EBase station–the world’s first energy self-sufficient education facility.
Standing on the deck of a 99-year-old 40 ft. boxcar, Friday (6/10), Swan joined James Bray, general manager, AkzoNobel and Apple Ridge Farm (ARF) founder Peter Lewis as the ribbon was cut to EBase USA–Blue Ridge. The off-grid classroom is the first facility of its kind in the nation and fourth in the world.
During his comments at the ceremony Bray acknowledge a group of approx. 20 AkzoNobel employees who “volunteered over 2000 hours in the development of the station.”
The project began when Bray and a group of AkzoNobel reps traveled to the first EBase in Antarctica in 2008 and returned with the mission to provide an opportunity for local youth to excel through just such a facility. “Someone is going to build one of these in the US and I said why not me and why not here at Apple Ridge,” Bray added.
He and Lewis secured a box-car donated by The Roanoke Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society (NRHS) and after extensive renovations, the vision came to fruition. “It took 4 years and $100,000 to make this happen,” Bray said proudly.
“In 1992 my family and I donated over 8 1/2 acres to build Apple Ridge Farm for the children. I want you to take what you have learned here today through the stories and the development of EBase to follow your dreams and be all you can be, realizing your full potential” said Lewis speaking to the group of 96 campers who attended the ceremony.
A reception/cook-out for adult guests, parents and campers was also held that primarily focused on Swan and his life as an accomplished explorer.
Sir Robert Swan was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1988 receiving the Polar Medal for service regarding his expeditions and his extensive work in the field.
“When I made those journeys, I began to see that some of the issues that we are now dealing with today, like climate change, holes in the ozone, polar ice melting and what we are doing to our world, it shocked me,” recalled Swan
As a conscientious global citizen, his life’s mission was inspired by a request from the famous (late) explorer Jacques Cousteau who charged him with the task of saving Antarctica.
“In the year 2041 the treaty that preserves the region could stop and we will possibly destroy the last great wilderness left to us all,” he said with deep concern.
As part of his mission to reverse the effects of climate change through renewable energy sources, Swan devised several ways to save Antarctica.
One idea was to enlist heads of state and young people (ages 15-25) to travel the globe for a couple of weeks to inspire them as the next generation of leaders and engage them in EBase operation and development.
“If we are using more renewable energy, clean energy, bio-fuels and engaging in energy conservation methods then no one is going to have to go to Antarctica to exploit it because it won’t make financial sense,” he said regarding preservation practices he feels should be enforced.
Swan, from Durham, England is an environmentally conscious world-class visionary who at 60 years old shows no signs of slowing down. His energetic antics and deep British accent added color to the many detailed stories he told the dignitaries and wide-eyed camp kids who now enter a new world of enhancement through the EBase station at the camp.
Located in Copper Hill, VA, (25 miles from Roanoke) Apple Ridge Farm is a camp for inner-city kids that fosters growth through unique educational and outdoor experiences. The camp presently celebrates 28 years of operation and has hosted over 80,000 visitors over the years.
