Well-worn sandals

Join explorers like Mike Fay as they seek new discoveries and a better understanding of our world. View this email in your browser Dear Friend, I explored 2,000 miles of impenetrable African forests in a pair of store-bought sandals. I was gored by an elephant—chased by a band of armed rebels... ...had malaria more times than I can remember—and nearly died from it (twice). And you know what? I can hardly wait to do it all again. That's why I'm asking you to join me in a spirit of discovery and exploration by becoming a Contributing Member of the National Geographic Society today. Contributing Members are important because they provide critical support that makes it possible for people like me to get out there and explore the Earth—from the depths of the oceans to the peaks of the highest mountains. Over the years, some of the greatest explorers of our time, including Jane Goodall, Jacques Yves-Cousteau, and Dian Fossey, have benefitted from the support of National Geographic's Contributing Members. When I walked the unexplored and almost uninhabited forests between Congo and Gabon, I couldn't have done it without their generosity. But to keep pushing the boundaries of science, knowledge, and discovery National Geographic needs support from curious and engaged people like you. As a Contributing Member, you'll feel incredible pride when a deep-sea explorer discovers new marine life on a National Geographic expedition that you helped make possible through your generosity. You'll share in the accomplishment when a team of National Geographic explorers unearths a fossil that offers new clues into the origins of life on our planet. And you'll experience the excitement of searching for discoveries and breakthroughs that change the way we look at the world. As for me, I don't know where my well-worn sandals will take me next. But there's one thing I do know. To help fund National Geographic expeditions that expand our knowledge—reveal the Earth's mysteries—and bring more understanding about our world—you need to step up today in the most generous way you can. I know there are conservationists, biologists, oceanographers, astronomers, ecologists, and many other scientists that would benefit from your support. Please don't leave them hanging. Please take a moment right now to become a Contributing Member of the National Geographic Society. Thank you so much. Sincerely, Mike Fay Explorer-in-Residence A hippo plays in the surf at Loango National Park, Gabon. Mike Fay sitting on an inselberg—granite dome rising above the forest canopy—in northern Gabon. You are receiving this email because is signed up to receive National Geographic communications. If you prefer not to receive emails from us, please unsubscribe. Contact Us | NGS Customer Service | Privacy Policy To ensure that you receive your National Geographic emails, please add ngs@e.nationalgeographic.com to your address book now. Learn how. National Geographic | 1145 17th Street N.W. | Washington, D.C. 20036 Copyright © 2013 National Geographic Society. All rights reserved.