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Mono resident set for summer climb of Mount Kilimanjaro in fundraiser to benefit Orangeville Food Bank

May 25, 2018   ·   0 Comments

By Jasen Obermeyer

When you donate to a food bank, one might physically bring in some money or bags of food, go to the local grocery store, or host a community food drive.

Elaine Kehoe from Mono is taking it one step further, in her case several thousand more, as she will be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds for the Orangeville Food Bank and for Dufferin County’s breakfast program. She is looking to raise $2500.

A realtor with Slavens and Associates, she has previously worked with breakfast programs in Toronto. “I saw that a lot of kids came to school hungry,” she explained to the Citizen. “I thought, ‘since I’m planning on doing the climb anyway, why not do it for a cause?’”

Part of a group of 12 from the Greater Toronto Area, Ms. Kehoe will climb Kilimanjaro in July for eight days. The mountain is located in Tanzania in Eastern Africa, and is the highest in the continent, standing at about 16,100 feet, from its base, with its peak 19,341 feet above sea level.

Ms. Kehoe explained that she grabs life “by handle,” and when the time came, she decided it to try another challenge. “I think that it’s important that we challenge ourselves from time-to-time, because otherwise we become too complacent.”

She says she is working hard to prepare for the physical aspect of the climb, but is more concerned about the altitude. “It’s one of those things that you don’t find out until you’re there.”

Kilimanjaro has five climate zones, including forests, alpine desert, and arctic weather at the summit. Its high elevation, low temperature, and occasional high winds make it a difficult and sometime dangerous trek.

Ms. Kehoe added that she is also looking forward to meeting the other climbers, and hopes to take a photo of herself with a Dufferin County hat on at the summit. “It’s such a good cause.”

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