STRATTON — A Pennsylvania man raised money for research into childhood cancer by hiking up Stratton Mountain Resort multiple times. Kevin Palmiter, 57, of Mountain Top, a financial advisor at Northwestern Mutual, achieved his goal of collecting $29,000 for Alex's Lemonade Stand as part of the 29029 Everesting challenge last month. He said he had no specific connection to Stratton except that he and his wife always wanted to visit Vermont for its beauty, especially in the fall, and because it hosted the event he signed up for.
Seven other locations could have been selected for 29029 Everesting, but Stratton was the closest to Pennsylvania and the trip did not require him to fly. "You have 36 hours to climb 29,029 feet — the equivalent height of Mt. Everest," states 29029everesting.
com . "Hike up the mountain, take the gondola down, and repeat." Palmiter noted completing the challenge of hiking Stratton Mountain 17 times equaled the same height as climbing Everest but without the same danger of the cold and risk of dying.
One of the mantras behind the event, he said, is "If you can do this, you can face anything in life that might come your way." Registration for the challenge cost $5,200. Palmiter set out to raise $1 a foot for Alex's Lemonade Stand.
About seven years ago, his wife was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer. She went through treatments and surgeries, and is doing well now. At hospitals, Palmiter noticed the children being treated for cancer and thought about.
