By Kate Hill

Staff Writer

This summer, community members are invited to participate in “Climb Your Mountain 29” — an individual challenge and fundraiser in memory of longtime Cazenovia resident Deborah Schutzendorf Gregg (1964-2012).

All proceeds will benefit “Debbie’s Brain Cancer Research Fund” at the Upstate Foundation.

Starting July 19, “climbers” will be challenged to run, hike, walk or bike the equivalent of one of five mountains (Mount Everest, Denali, Mont Blanc, Glacier Peak or Mount Washington) in 29 days.

“It’s an individual challenge you can do anywhere in the world — including a staircase at home,” said Jennifer Hooley, Gregg’s sister and the challenge organizer.

Participants in the “Ultimate Challenge” will strive to climb the equivalent of Mount Everest, 29,020 vertical feet.

According to Hooley, the Mount Washington Challenge is perfect for kids and those individuals who are “older but young at heart.”

“Mount Washington in New Hampshire, which is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States, is just about a fifth of the size of Mount Everest, which makes it the perfect mountain [for pretty much anyone] who would like to participate in the 29 day challenge,” she said.

To “climb” Mount Washington, participants can choose to bike 2.8 miles per day, walk or run 1 mile per day, climb stairs 20 time per day, or do any combination that totals the equivalent of 6,288 feet.

The event is inspired by “Everesting,” an international challenge created by a group called Hells500 from Australia.

Athletes may pick any hill, anywhere in the world and complete repeats of it in a single activity on bike or foot until they climb 29,029 feet.

The climb can be any length, on any hill, mountain, driveway or bridge. While it does not matter how long the challenge takes, it must be completed in one attempt.

Climb Your Mountain 29 similarly encourages individuals to take on Everest’s 29,029 vertical feet, but over an extended period of time — 29 days.

“Along with the hill challenge, we added a distance challenge, ‘Mountain Steps,’ for those who live in an area without hills, [like] as my sisters who are in the ‘flatlands’ in Colorado or my cousins in Florida,” said Hooley. “Like Everesting, anyone, anywhere can join.”

Hooley first learned about Everesting in Vermont two years ago when she happened upon the event in progress at Stratton Mountain, where participants were pushed to complete the challenge in 36 hours.

“I’ve both skied and hiked Stratton; it’s a pretty big mountain,” Hooley said. “But never had I thought, heard about, imagined, nor even considered that I would witness people hiking up it 17 times . . . One hike up Stratton is about a 1,700 vertical rise, hence the 17 times. I got choked up talking to a woman who had just finished in under the 36-hour limit. She was beaming. There is something special about a group of people pushing themselves and supporting each other to do something beyond what they think they can do. That moment in time changed me, and I’ve been thinking about the event ever since.”

In search of something inspiring for people to do close to home during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hooley thought again of Stratton’s “29,029 Everesting.”

“I was intrigued by the idea of people being able to do a challenge on their own yet supported by an online community,” she said. “Also, I was thinking about my sister, Debbie, who always loved a challenge and who passed in 2012. From there, Climb Your Mountain 29 (Climb in 29) was born.”

Gregg was diagnosed with anaplastic astrocytoma brain cancer in January 2008.

“Debbie faced many challenges during her cancer treatment, but [she] also loved to have fun,” Hooley said. “No doubt, she wanted everyone around her to have fun too. She could walk into a room full of people and somehow make each person feel like they were the most important person in the room. She loved a challenge, such as hiking the Adirondacks [or] ‘running’ in a wheelchair in the Fourth of July races, and she never missed a beat when it came to playing competitive tennis . . . She loved her family, friends and had compassion for all animals and raised money for causes whenever she could. She magically encouraged those around her to participate too.”

Gregg started Debbie’s Brain Cancer Research Fund on July 4, 2012 at the Cazenovia foot races in appreciation for her doctor at Upstate Cancer Center.

Dr. Thomas E. Coyle, MD cared for Gregg from diagnosis to her death in August 2012.

“Coyle is not only a doctor dedicated to neuro-oncology research specializing in brain tumors, but he is also an outdoorsman and an avid runner,” Hooley said. “Debbie loved that. Most importantly, he was compassionate and dedicated to helping Debbie. [She] believed that of all things, Coyle’s brain cancer research could make a difference for others in the future.”

Prior to her passing, Gregg raised about $50,000 for brain cancer research at Upstate Cancer Center in Syracuse.

Her family continues to raise funds in her memory through various fundraisers.

“She always taught me to try my best and to have fun doing so,” said Gregg’s daughter Pamela Rich. “She had an amazing presence and outlook — always making things fun and always singing or dancing. Her love for her friends and family always shined through. She affected so many lives throughout the community through tennis, gardening, church and many long lasting friendships. She still has a special place in all those people’s hearts. I think this fundraiser/challenge is a way to have some fun with friends and family, just like she would want while supporting a wonderful cause.”

According to Hooley, the challenge has already been embraced both locally and nationally.

As of July 8, the challenge had participants from California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, and the Syracuse area.

“A few weeks ago, when the challenge launched through social media, a longtime friend of mine in San Diego whose dad recently died of brain cancer signed up and is now fundraising for Debbie’s Brain Cancer Research Fund,” Hooley said. “Last week, another friend from Chittenango whose husband passed away of brain cancer just last year heard about it and also signed up.”

To register and learn how to participate in the challenge, visit climbyourmountain29.com.

To sponsor a participant or donate directly to the fund, visit climbyourmountain29.com/donate.html.