A LIMERICK man is hoping to bring his fundraising efforts to new heights as he attempts to become just the 15th Irish person ever to complete the seven summits challenge.
Andy Nolan has already completed five of the seven highest summits on each continent, and will set off again in December to climb Vinson Massif in Antarctica.
As with each of his previous climbs, Andy has teamed up with a deserving charity to raise funds and awareness of them and they work they do. This time, Andy has chosen Limerick’s Children’s Grief Center to carry with him as he reaches one of the world’s highest peaks.
Speaking to the Limerick Post, Mr Nolan said that while he wouldn’t consider himself a mountaineer or an adventurer, he fancied the challenge.
“I like a challenge, and I wouldn’t consider myself a mountaineer or an adventurer, but it’s kind of a hobby, I think it’s important to challenge yourself and try new things as well,” he said.
Having already climbed Kilimanjaro, Elbrus, Aconcagua, Denali, and Kosciusko summits, just Vinson Massif and Everest stand in Andy’s way of becoming just the 15th Irish person to ever complete the seven summits challenge.
He previously raised money for the Irish Cancer Society and Laura Lynn Children’s Hospice and this time Andy decided to raise funds for a local charity.
“The Children’s Grief Centre do good work. I called out to the centre and met with Carol and the guys over there. They’re small, they’re probably underfunded, like a lot of charities, and I think that it just made more sense to me to try and raise money for someone local,” Andy explained.
Andy has an online donations page where people can get involved, but he’s also hoping to host some events to bring in money for the Children’s Grief Centre.
As well as the online donations, a table quiz is planned, and an internal staff day in Stryker, where Andy works, along with fundraising in the Workshop Gym in Newport, where he is doing his training and rehab from a recent ankle injury.
Anyone who wishes to donate to Andy’s fundraiser can do so on his iDonate page at idonate.ie/fundraiser/Andys7summitschallenge.
