A fundraiser by Cheryl Dillin.

Mt. Elbrus is the tallest mountain in Europe and is located in Russia making it one of the seven summits. It’s 18,510’ tall – about a mile taller than anything I’ve climbed to date.

I am climbing the mountain in honor of our Veterans – specifically Purple Heart recipients and Gold Star Families that are part of the Blue Skies for the Good Guys and Gals foundation. A group that organizes Warrior Weekend To Remember. I will start my journey during their Weekend To Remember in July 2019.

I am attempting to raise $18,510 and bring recognition to this group of deserving people who still fight a battle with their brothers and sisters – loosing 22 veterans per day in the United States to suicide. We are all climbing our own mountain, some just aren’t visible. Warrior Weekend To Remember is the best effort I’ve ever seen or even heard about to help Veterans, Soldiers and their families bond and heal. It’s impossible to describe and even more difficult to forget once you’ve experienced it.

#SummitsForSoldiers – Climb for Blue Skies Summit Challenge

Blue Skies for Good Guys and Gals is a local non profit that has a donated their time passion, energy and resources to creating a healing experience for purple heart and gold star family veterans to give them a family and “brotherhood” of support. The key event is Warrior Weekend, the ‘weekend of a lifetime’, full of unforgettable experiences and acts of kindness.

Warrior Weekend To Remember (WWTR) recruits a new “class” of Veteran’s, Purple Heart Recipients and Gold Star Families each year, and with that class comes three large objectives:

Connection:  Connection to a familiar base of people who understand and relate to a soldier as well as connecting grieving families with warriors, warriors with warriors and gold star families with other families.

Healing:  Healing begins through the bonds created by the exceptionally programmed and expertly paired activities at WWTR.  Wounds, visible and not, begin to heal rapidly.  Pulling people out of isolation and depression and giving them the opportunity to have amazing fun all while building a support network and a family that includes volunteers and sponsors begins the healing process.

Prevention:  22 Veterans a Day commit suicide in the United States.  WWTR’s connection and healing are the most effective form of prevention.  Surrounding veterans with healing, love and compassion and truly honoring service and sacrifice with respect combines to save lives. ONE Family.

On the dates of Warrior weekend 2019 where Blue Skies will be sharing an unforgettable experience with our veterans, I will be conquering the tallest mountain in Europe and one of the Seven Summits – Mt. Elbrus, in their honor. Mt. Elbrus is located in Caucasus Range in Russia a total elevation of 18,510’. Both experiences on that weekend will be unforgettable, meaningful, heart felt, and certainly difficult at times, with an unparalleled sense of gratitude and appreciation for others upon completion of the weekend for all involved.

I will be on Mt. Elbrus in the Caucasus Range climbing for 5 full days and will ascend/descend roughly 24,170’ in the snow. I have done 14,000’ in 3 days multiple times previously, but this is the highest and the longest attempt as well as the first attempt of a Seven Summits effort. The Seven Summits are the highest mountain on each of the seven continents and include Mt. Elbrus, Europe; Kilimanjaro, Africa; Vinson, Antarctica; Everest, Asia; Denali, North America; Aconcagua, South America; Puncak Jaya, Australia.

In preparation for one of the Seven Summits, I’ve submitted Mt. Shasta in California, the Grand Teton in Wyoming and Mt. Elbert in Colorado to name a few. I am training with Rob Kramer at CrossFit Skyfall on a specific mountain climbing program, Cycling at Cycle Bar at Austin Landing and doing focused Yoga and hiking efforts to increase endurance and flexibility.