Chris Kassar will be sharing her climbing adventure with 3 Peaks 3 Weeks over the next month. 3 Peaks 3 Weeks is an annual all-female climbing event to summit three of Africa’s highest peaks in three weeks, raising money and awareness for three issues; education, environment and health. The organization hopes to empower women to make a positive social impact for education, environment and health issues worldwide by participating in global adventure challenges. Since 2007, 33 women have completed the 3 Peaks 3 Weeks Africa Challenge (with a further 24 set for January 2011 and January 2012). Since inception, 3 Peaks 3 Weeks has distributed over USD $600,000 to three non-profit organizations in East Africa.
Follow their journey here or on the team blog starting January 6th at www.3peaks3weeks.com
3 Peaks 3 Weeks 2011
January 2011 will mark the 4th annual 3 Peaks 3 Weeks Challenge. The challenge entails climbing Mount Kenya, Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro in less than 21 days. For the previous 18 months, this years’ team has worked to raise over $75,000 USD! Follow them on their journey.
The 2011 3 Peaks 3 Weeks team is incredibly diverse, to put it lightly. They range in age from twenty-one to sixty-three and hail from Scotland, France, Australia and the USA. The team is comprised of yoga instructors, musicians, teachers, students, animal care specialists, business school administrators, case managers at a homeless shelter, conservation biologists, lawyers and working in the banking world.
They love to bake, run long distances, hike, camp, rescue animals, spend time with their families – especially our nieces, nephews, sons and daughters, volunteer, coach sports teams, travel and write.
Though they seem different in so many ways, they share a commitment to making a difference and a dedication to making the 2011 effort the best one yet. They are eager to take a risk, to challenge themselves, to help others, and to cultivate sisterhood.
Follow this team on their climbs as they blog from the fog. Live vicariously and join them on the sacred steps, sweats, laughs and tears they are sure to share.
Please help support the 2011 team and continue to follow their journey so you can be as inspired as we are by these amazing women! Go ladies!
Blog: www.3peaks3weeks.com
Website: www.3peaks3weeks.org
Rumor has it they are expanding to have climbs across the world.
Email for more information: info@3peaks3weeks.org
Live texts from the top:
Text CLIMB to +255 758 849 995 for LIVE sms updates from the 2011 3 Peaks 3 Weeks Challenge Africa. Cell carrier charges will apply.
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Our 2011 Team
Louise Anderson
Country of Origin: The United Kingdom
Age: 22
Louise was given the Duke of Edinburgh award, which has provided her valuable field expertise working with others, under demanding and confined conditions for long periods of time. She is patient and passionate. Louise has already taken on Mount Kenya, likely the most difficult challenge she has faced, and is looking forward to facing it again.
Laura Corney
Country of Origin: Australia
Age: 25
Laura works as a musician, teacher and research assistant. She is looking forward to standing on top of Kilimanjaro and will have a thank you party for all of her supporters once she is back home. She learned to speak Spanish in Cuba and also prides herself in being able to lick her own elbow.
Kelly Donithan
Country of Origin: The United States
Age: 25
Kelly is an animal car specialist at a local conservation center. Cheetah, rhino and antelope won’t be new sights for her! Kelly owns two dogs, one cat and one ferret. She is looking forward to “actively making a difference.” Kelly can run a half marathon, but will refuse to light a match…can we say, opposite of pyromaniac?
Tara Gibbs
Country of Origin: Australia
Age:
Tara works as a relationship manager in business banking. She is also a loving auntie of two nieces and a nephew. She has anxiety for the altitude ahead, but can’t wait to meet the organizations. Tara has been trying to learn the guitar for over fifteen years and still cannot play one single song! Perhaps mountains are her forte…
Sarah Kaczor
Country of Origin: The United States
Age: 34
Sarah is a Yoga Instructor and Energy Medicine Therapist. She can’t wait to touch down in Africa and engage in local cultures and glimpse the amazing wildlife. Sarah was once blessed by a holy elephant in at a Temple in Erode, India. She is going to use her training in the Adirondack Park to help her get up the peaks!
Chris Kassar
Country of Origin: The United States
Age: 34
Chris is a conservation biologist living in Flagstaff, AZ who co-founded Rios Libres, a group committed to keeping Chilean Patagonia wild. She is an avid outdoorswoman and world traveler with a wealth of expertise in the backcountry. She has battled endless mosquitoes across Alaska and enjoyed the heights of Peru, Iceland, Argentina, Nepal and beyond.
Lynne Knutson
Country of Origin: The United States
Age: 63
Lynne works for a production company that does staging, video and other arrangements for business events. She is the queen of the office but takes time away from the desk to attend to her other roles as wife, mother and athlete. She is a running guru and gym rat.
Kaitlyn Oddy
Country of Origin: The United States
Age: 20
Kaitlyn is going to school for a therapeutic Recreation degree at the University of Southern Maine. She currently works as a babysitter, waitress and lacrosse coach. She is already looking forward to her first shower after summiting Kilimanjaro. And only once she’s clean will she begin to share all of the stories form the slopes.
Charlotte Peyrat Vaganay
Country of Origin: France
Age: 29
Charlotte works as Head of International Administration at Saint Etienne Business School in France. She is known for baking delicious cakes, helping others and getting involved wherever she can lend a hand. Charlotte is the first climber from France to take part in 3 Peaks.
Valerie Rosenberg
Country of Origin: The United States
Age: 27
Val is a case manager at a family homeless shelter in San Francisco. She is a risk-taker and looks forward to the challenge ahead. Val can’t wait to step foot on Kenyan and Tanzanian soil. You will not find her snacking on energy bars – she despises them completely! Sorry Clif!
Holly Upper
Country of Origin: The United States
Age: 30
Holly works as the Event Manager for Summit for Life in Colorado. She is also the Director of High Mountain Volleyball Club, a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching youth volleyball and team building skills. She ran into a previous 3 Peaks 3 Weeks participant while climbing her favorite mountain, Smuggler, and signed up for the challenge that day!
