A Worthwhile Journey Gary Lipman Travels the Desert

For Gary Lipman, a trek through the harsh Negev desert not only raised money for charity, it also helped him discover how far outside his comfort zone he could go.

On November 10-15, Gary Lipman and 23 others hiked the 120km from Southern Negev to Mount Timna in the scorching Israeli desert. They willingly volunteered for the physically demanding journey to help raise funds for One-to-One, a London-based charity that helps feed starving children all over the world as well as offer other charitable services. For a self-described “city slicker,” the journey was quite taxing; but the experience of truly roughing it for six days has changed Gary into what he knows in his heart is a more-rounded individual.

When the director of Gary’s favorite charity approached him in a time of need, it was impossible for him to refuse. “She reached out to a group of people who’ve been on treks in the past,” said Gary, “and asked us to go on one final trek to help raise some much needed funds. Because of the economy, donations were down and fewer people were able to take the time off work to go on a fundraising journey.” Having been on three of these grueling adventures in the past, Gary knew what he was getting himself into if he said “yes,” but considering all the great work One-to-One does, he found himself unable to say “no.”

“Even though I knew what to expect, this trek was by far the most difficult,” Gary explained. “It was so hot that we had to drink a minimum of four liters of water each day just to keep from dehydrating.” Though it was tough going, Gary pushed himself to complete the trek and was reminded about the importance of camaraderie along the way. “A member of our team froze in the middle of crossing a rope ladder between two rock ledges,” he explained, “and two trekkers who had already reached the bottom went back and helped guide her feet, step-by-step until she was down safely. If people understood how difficult it was just to keep going forward, they would understand just what an act of sacrifice that was.” By getting sponsors for each leg of their journey, Gary and his fellow trekkers raised $250,000 to purchase medicine for underprivileged children and families.

By pushing his mind and body to their limits, Gary was able to redefine his own personal comfort zone. “At times, I used to be the type of person who’d complain if my hotel accommodations weren’t up to expectations,” he said, “but all that’s changed now. Once you’ve spent the night in a sleeping bag on the desert floor, it really changes your perspective about these types of things. I feel like I’ve lost a bit of my sense of privilege and that’s a good thing because it’s made me more much accepting of life’s twists and turns. I’m much more temperate now.”

Gary first became involved with trekking for One-to-One in 2002, when his wife’s friend told him about her intention to trek through the blistering heat and unforgiving sands of the Sinai Desert in Egypt. “The first thing I asked was, ‘Are you mad?’” Gary recalled. “My second question was, ‘Can I come with you?’” Since then, he trekked The Negev in 2005 and the Judean Desert in 2008. “I’ve always been a city slicker who’s never so much as gone camping!” he added.

A member of the indoor tanning industry since 1982, Gary Lipman is Managing Director of the UK subsidiary of Ergoline, and runs Ergoline Plus, the exclusive distributor of a wide range of sunless products and spray-tanning systems. He is also Chairman of the UK’s Sunbed Association and a European Sunlight Association member. Check out his monthly column, “UK View” in IST Magazine! For more info on the One To One Project, visit one-to-one.org.