Stephanie Maltarich, a 2006 CU-Boulder grad, is using her newfound love of the mountains to help others. Through Big City Mountaineer's biggest fundraiser, Summit for Someone, Maltarich will climb the 14,162 ft. Mount Shasta in northern California to raise money for BCM. This Denver-based nonprofit takes at-risk urban teens on one-week backcountry mountain trips, and with Maltarich stepping in, more teens will be granted such an opportunity.
Fun fact: In 2008, funds raised by Summit for Someone helped provide 2,500 program days to BCM teens from youth agencies across four regions.
On her climber profile page at SummitForSomeone.org, Maltarich says:
The BCM trips are comprised of teens who will probably never have the opportunity to experience a wilderness adventure. Thus, a group of individuals such as myself have committed to climb one peak in North America so 300 teenagers can experience what it is like to live out of a backpack and explore a different part of the world via their own two feet.
I hope that you will join me in helping others. I have a lot of money to raise and I will not be able to do it without some help from friends and family! I know that I am always looking for a way to make a difference in the world whether it be something huge or something small. I believe in this cause because since discovering the mountains five years ago, my life took on a new purpose and direction. I have continued in that direction to this day, which is a choice that makes me extremely happy. I hope that this experience provides some insight and empowerment for a few teenagers who maybe don't have a strong sense of purpose or direction in their own lives.
Comments