A University of Denver graduate student has climbed all 58 peaks of Colorado’s 14,000-foot mountains to raise money for coronavirus relief. She has already raised more than $85,000.
Brittney Woodrum, a 27-year-old climber, and master’s student has decided to give back in the best way she knows how.
Woodrum is currently studying humanitarian assistance at the University of Denver. She originally had plans to jet set in her free time, but the pandemic had other plans.
Since being stuck in the state, the student partnered with ShelterBox, “an international disaster relief charity that provides emergency shelter and aid to families around the world who lost their homes to disaster or conflict.”
She decided to take on what is arguably considered the most challenging mountain range in North America, Colorado’s 58 “Fourteeners.” The name comes from the 58 mountains that tower more than 14,000-feet up.
In addition, the journey took Woodrum from July 10 until September 26 to complete. She gained donations from family, friends, as well as sponsors from around the world for her relief fund.
At the summit of each mountain, she took a photo with ShelterBox’s signature box. The charity gives the turquoise box to those in need. It contains shelter and aid supplies.
“I was really scared to do it,” Woodrum admits to the Aspen Times, saying that she started her hike to Capitol Peak the same time the Grizzly Creek wildfire was burning in the area. “But then I got up there, and this was something I found on every single mountain I did, it’s just about embracing the trudge. It’s more of a mental than a physical game. Get yourself to put one foot in front of another, and you’re eventually going to make it.”
Student Dedicates Life to Giving Back
Woodrum is not new to charity work, however. She got her bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky while studying nonprofit administration. Woodrum also said she likes to give back and help others and saw those struggling financially from the pandemic. She has raised more than $85,000 so far.
“I feel very service-oriented in general and I know that’s what I want to dedicate my life to. I feel very privileged with everything I have ever had in my life. The best thing I can do with my life is pay some of that forward and help others who by no fault of their own have had the worst day or year of their life.”
[H/T Fox Business]
