I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Kevin Preston, and I live and work in the Brockville area at Preston Lawyers.
My goal is climb the “7 Volcanic Summits, meaning the highest volcano on each continent. They are Pico de Orizaba (North America), Ojos de Salado (South America), Kilimanjaro (Africa), Mount Davamind (Asia), Mount Elbrus (Europe), Mount Giluwe (Oceania/Australia), and Mount Sidley (Antarctica). Dream Mountains, the foundation Shawn Dawson started for the purpose of raising money for charity, has, since the inception of the organisation, raised $1,288,400, all of which went (and will go) directly to charity.
I will be climbing Pico de Orizaba this November, and raising money for Habitat for Humanity.
My ultimate goal is to summit each of those mountains, and $35,000 for 7 different charities: Ride for Dad (prostate cancer research), Ottawa School Breakfast Program (each dollar raised provides a hot breakfast for an underprivileged child), the Ottawa Senators Foundation, Dreams Take Flight (provides a day trip from Ottawa to Disney in Orlando for terminally ill children), Habitat for Humanity, and SOS Children’s villages.
In 2012, Shawn Dawson approached me and asked if I’d be interested in climbing the Inca Trail with his group. It involved paying for my trip and committing to raise $5,000 for charity. Shawn’s rule is simple but great – each climber pays his or her own expenses (the cost of the trip, flight, guides and porters, and all other associated expenses. All money raised by the climber goes directly to a CRA registered charity, and the donor gets a tax receipt for the full amount raised.
I accepted Shawn’s offer. I loved the expedition so much that I went with him to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in East Africa in 2014, Mount Everest Base Camp in 2015 (although we didn’t make it to Base Camp due to the earthquake) and Mount Kilimanjaro in 2017 (because I convinced my uncle Malcolm to join us, which was a fantastic experience to spend time and have fun with a man I love dearly). So far, I’ve been on four expeditions with Shawn and Dream Mountains, and I’ve raised $22,346 so far (for the past expeditions I’ve been on). Now on to another project!
These are all great charities and worthwhile causes. I will be doing this as a member of the Dream Mountains Foundation, and in advance want to thank Shawn and Kristi Johnston, who’s been the second lead guide for each of the expeditions I’ve been on for their training, friendliness, support, and keen attention to detail and most of all safety.
I’d also like to thank all of you who have visited this webpage and are considering or have made donations.
Yours truly,
Kevin Preston
p.s. Yes, I’ll be climbing Kilimanjaro again, as it’s part of this project. Different route this time!
