Kelly-manjaro

Many of our guests will remember Kelly Webster Hammond, who's parents own and operate The Beacon convenience store and Yamaha dealership at the junction of Hwy 35 and 60. For a few years, Kelly owned the Old Palmer House store in Dwight, and many of our guests know her from there.

If you haven't met Kelly, you've missed out on one of life's more sparkly creatures. She's a gem.

And now she's shining her light on a marvellous adventure.  Later this month, Kelly is travelling to Africa to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro with the Dream Mountains Foundation.  It's not just for fun... she's raising money for Habitat for Humanity Huntsville, to build a house for a family in need right here in Huntsville.

Last week, she spent 36 hours perched up on the aerial fire truck ladder in the parking lot of Robinson's Independent Grocers to raise awareness and cash for her cause. She 's raised $8600 so far, and has talked her good friend (and Napster's photographer) Heather Douglas into joining her on this adventure.  Between them, the girls have raised $15,000 and are well on their way to funding a build for a family waiting for a home.

While it began for Kelly as an amazing adventure for her to visit Africa, she now has a five year plan to raise $50,000 for Habitat for Humanity Huntsville, and see the house through to completion.

Dream Mountains is an interesting concept.  One step at a time, the Dream Mountains Foundation raises funds for charities that focus on education, opportunity, and compassion. They help people make positive changes in their own lives and their communities. After summiting Mount Everest in May of this year, the founder, Canadian businessman Shawn Dawson dedicated his goal of climbing the highest peak on each of the seven continents to support seven charities. He chose seven charities that make a direct, positive impact by empowering people with the resources and opportunities to create a better life for themselves and their communities.


Kilimanjaro is not the world's tallest mountain, but it IS the world's tallest freestanding mountain, at 19,341 ft high.  3 distinct volcanic cones, the highest being Uhuru peak create this iconic mountain. Kelly, who works at FITT Gym in Huntsville, has been training intensively for this effort. Algonquin Outfitters is providing her "wardrobe" for the climb.  The community is pulling for her, and we hope you will too.

Please visit Kelly's website, and check out the Dream Mountains Foundation. You can follow Kelly on Facebook, too. She says she plans to Blog her trip... if the mountain doesn't just plain take her breath away.