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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A Yellowknife man on a mission to raise money for the NWT Literacy Council by driving through Europe and Asia is looking to the public to help him learn about the countries he is visiting.

Lachlan MacLean, seen here in his BHP Ekati Diamond Mine Office Wednesday, shows off a picture of the 2006 Hyundai Getz hatchback he hopes will take him 12,000 km from Europe to Mongolia during his Rally for Literacy this summer. - photo courtesy of Lachlan MacLean

Lachlan MacLean will be driving through 17 countries for five weeks starting in July on what he is calling his Rally for Literacy, and is hoping he can get youth groups and schools from around Yellowknife and the North to do projects researching his destinations so they can be a part of the cause. He said he could easily find all the information online, but that's not the point.

"I could just Google the information, but it's an opportunity to engage people in the trip I am going to be taking," said MacLean.

"I think it would be really good as a classroom activity to research one country and the information that the students would learn would give them an idea about what it takes to travel," said MacLean. "For instance, do I have to have my legs covered in Iran or what I might expect to see that might put me off if I wasn't warned about it?"

Other information he is looking for includes the locations of Canadian embassies, exchange rates, basic phrases such as "hello," "goodbye," and how to ask directions to the hospital.

"I think it's a great idea. I am really excited for him taking on the rally and going behind NWT literacy is just a great way to go about it," said Garry Hubert, who runs the SideDoor Youth Centre.

"If we are approached we can definitely see about doing something," said Hubert.

So far MacLean has raised about $9,800 through donations, selling stickers and hosting musical events, with a goal of raising $40,000.

MacLean said he got the idea for the rally when he heard about the Mongol Rally a couple years ago where participants drive 12,000 km for charity across Europe and Asia in vehicles with an engine capacity of less than 1,200 cc. He decided to take part in the adventure himself and chose increasing literacy as his cause.

"It was a culmination of a few different things. I wanted to find a way to give back to the North. I've been living here for almost three years now and I wanted to get involved. I was also looking to have an adventure and take a trip and I had heard about this a year and a half ago and the two ideas just came together," he said.

MacLean said literacy is something he has been passionate about for a long time.

"For me literacy is fundamental. Anyone who can read and write can communicate with the world without actually having to be physically there, which is doubly important in the North where you have lots of geographically-isolated communities," said MacLean.

Katie Randall, youth and adult services coordinator for the NWT Literacy Council, said the money would go toward NWT programs that have previously requested literacy funding but couldn't receive it because there wasn't enough money available.

"So it could be like a youth centre in a community and they want to add a literacy component," said Randall. "It's been a great way to raise money for literacy and to raise awareness about the importance of literacy."

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