Kelowna woman climbing Kilimanjaro for charity

KELOWNA – A local realtor is fulfilling her lifelong dream of visiting Africa and she's going to raise thousands of dollars for an orphanage at the same time.

Anita Clegg, 61, is training almost every day as she prepares for a 73 kilometre hike up Africa’s highest mountain. The peak of Kilimanjaro is 4,877 metres from the base, and will take Clegg five days and six nights.

“I’m scared, to be honest,” she says. “I feel like I kind of bit off an elephant but my passion and desire to do this is greater than my fear.”

To prepare for the climb, she has hired a personal trainer who takes her up Knox Mountain, Mount Boucherie and Rose Valley three times a week. She also snowshoes and is strength training at a gym.

“I’m pretty tired,” she says. “I am training like a crazy woman.”

Clegg chose to raise money for an orphanage that looks after more than 30 kids whose parents died of HIV or AIDS.

“The need is so huge, these children have nothing,” she says.

Clegg leaves Nov. 2 and starts her climb Feb. 9. With a hired guide and porters, she will cover more than 10 km every day, sleeping in tents or cabins and carrying a pack.

“I’ve never had in my mind that I wanted to climb a mountain and I don’t like heights,” she says. “But I’m going to do this.”

She has already raised more than $5,000 of her $5,500 goal. Every penny, she says, will go to the orphanage. To donate, visit her GoFundMe page.

To learn more about the orphanage visit the Tegemeza Kenya facebook page or website.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw at aproskiw@infonews.ca or call 250-718-0428. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.