Three guys. One ambulance. 8,000 miles.

Raising money to build three schools where they’re needed most, and empowering kids with the knowledge that creativity can solve anything.

Renegade Pencils is Ewan Adams, John Robertson and Jason Koxvold, driving from London to Mongolia. Partnering with Pencils of Promise, our goal is to raise $30,000 to build three schools, putting pencils in the hands of children who might not otherwise have had access to an education. We depart on July 24 and expect to arrive in Ulaanbaater on or around September 4.

But this is much more than three guys driving halfway round the world. Creative people all over the planet are coming together to help make this mission a reality - by donating their work for auction, scoring soundtracks to the films that we’ll make, painting our ambulance, and collaborating in group art exhibits - all to help raise money so children can have access to an education.

Huge thanks are due to: Gilles et Cecilie, Brett Butterfield, Matt Smithson, Jim Coudal, Michele Seiler, James Dimmock, Saiman Chow, Ryan Barkan, Otgonbayar @ MongolianTranslation.com, Denise Gordon, Kamila Prokop, Veronica de la Pena, Susanne Kelly, Kevin D, Adriana Ristau, Ian Koxvold, Crissy Cicco, Kevin Mulroy, Jen Shim, Alan Cross, Jeff Solomon, Pamala Buzick, Marzena James, Greg Christman, Sangeeta Ahulwalia, Harpreet Ahluwalia, A Hill, Meredith Bagerski, Nick Goodey, Sadie Weyher, Barb Rybka, Ingrid Bernstein, Annabel Wright, Helen Thompson, Angel Barron, Moria Deshpande, Heidi Hackemer, Guy Reingold, Erika Gesue, Satin Reid, Nisha Contractor, Sharon LaDuca, Tennille Teague, Adam Marks, Larry Johnson, April Sopkin, Jake Neske, Tom Nowell, Tim and Amy Strickland, Sandy Ko, Bruce Doscher, Kellie Kalvig, Ben Goldman, The Paves, Ben Stein, Misha Louy, Dan Tamura, Matty Sterenchock, Jeremy Pippenger, Kate & Miguel Centellas, Albert Ocampo, Tom Lewis, Mike Lobikis, Sara & Sam O’Hare, Tracy Scott, Nicolas Maitret, Alice Southgate, Aden Hakimi, Harriet Frost, Richard & Belinda Newey, Feath, Franca Koxvold, Amy Zale, ANdy Lilien, Steve Carpi, Carol Kwan, Jimmy Thompson, Margaux Ravis, Erin Rakow, Roe Bressan, Remo Carbone, Jared Cocken, M. Hurley, J. Champagne, Sandy Bell, Anya Zander, Amy Jones, Matt Ian, Beth Balsam, Erika Guese, Satin Reid, Nisha Contractor, Sharon LaDuca, Mary Knox, Curious Pictures, Carolyn Hill, Alex Fuchs, Douglas Keeve, and many, many more.

We’ll be blogging here at renegadepencils.com, but you can follow us on Facebook, Flickr, and Twitter. And, of course, we would love it if you would donate to this worthy cause through Firstgiving.

Frequently and less-oft asked questions (F/LOAQ)

Who are you?

We’re three friends from New York City who work in the advertising business.

Ewan Adams, media strategist with Starcom Mediavest

Jason Koxvold, photographer and creative director at StrawberryFrog

John Robertson, directors’ representative at Curious Pictures

How will you know where you’re going?

The old fashioned way: maps, a compass, and a glint in the eye. Even though our ambulance will be equipped with some of the most advanced technologies available, we’ll be navigating like they used to in the old days of the Silk Route.

What? I thought you had GPS and 3G and GSM and GPRS and all that good stuff?

We do. We’re just not going to be able to see any of that metadata from the road. You, on the other hand, will be able to see our position every time we upload a tweet, a photo, or a video. Please promise not to lol.

What’s the point of all this?

Partnering with Pencils of Promise, every $10,000 we raise will build a schoolhouse in a developing country. We (Ewan, John, Jason) want to build one schoolhouse each. And along the way, we’ll be holding workshops in schools promoting prosperity through creative education.

How long will this take?

We leave London on July 24, and expect to arrive in Ulaanbater on or around September 4. Whether that’s an accurate guess depends on the hardiness of our Mercedes, the geopolitical outlook in Kyrgyzstan, and a not-inconsequential number of other factors.

Who are your corporate partners?

We’re partnering with The One Club, Field Notes Brand, Freemans Sporting Club and are in final discussions with a few other select brands to make this mission a reality. Some very exciting news shortly.

Ambulance? Why?

The Mongolian emergency services need vehicles. We’re going to donate it upon our arrival. Hopefully they won’t mind that Gilles and Cecilie painted it all awesome.

Are you intending to eat boodog?

Sweet lord no, apparently it’s an express train to bubonic plague.