Climbing Colorado’s 58 “Fourteeners” is a rite of passage for every aspiring mountaineer Towering over 14,000 feet, these mountains rank as some of the tallest and most challenging in North America.
Brittney “Bert” Woodrum, a student and Rotary Peace Fellowship Applicant, has made it her mission to summit all 58 peaks with the iconic ShelterBox on her back to raise awareness and funding for ShelterBox.
Bert and her trek are featured in this Summit Daily article - she talks about her climbs, the people she's met, and why she's taken on this challenge!
Her trek will take place July through September of 2020. Visit www.ShelterBoxUSA.org/fourteeners to view the summit schedule, make a donation or to learn more.
She shares, “It’s funny, but it seems the less I have, the happier I am. When I moved to Myanmar a couple years ago, I was living in a Buddhist nunnery to help start a language school. While there, the nuns taught me a lot about the idea of “impermanence.” With a desire to learn more, I eagerly dove into their way of life, shaving my hair and donating nearly everything I owned. These women became my entire life: they were my students, my friends, my teachers, and my sisters, and I still remember how surreal it all seemed. These women had nothing compared to life I was used to, yet their lives were overflowing with joy and purpose. This was where I learned the true meaning of community, and a little over a year later when I hiked the Appalachian Trail (AT), these lessons seemed to resurface all over again.
“That’s what really drives me. No one should have to worry about where their shelter will come from, and that’s why I was really struck by ShelterBox’s mission.“– Brittney “Bert” Woodrum
I am a big believer in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. On the bottom of the pyramid you have your physical staples, such as food, water and shelter. On the AT, I never worried about finding those foundational necessities, but I did play a significant role in providing those things for myself and others each and every day. Being able to ensure that those around me had what they needed to survive gave me an immense amount of fulfillment; however, it also made me realize how many people don’t have that sense of security.That’s what really drives me. No one should have to worry about where their shelter will come from, and that’s why I was really struck by ShelterBox’s mission.”
Rotary Club sponsorships will receive a picture of Bert with your Club banner at the top of your peak.
Supporter sponsorships will receive a picture of Bert with an agreed upon item or picture of your choosing at the top of your peak. Weight, size, and message of (on) object need to be considered. To learn more, visit www.ShelterBoxUSA.org/Fourteeners