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Climbing high for charity
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Joe Celecia will leave Gibraltar later this month to take part in a three week round trip to attempt to reach the summit of Cerro Aconcagua, for a worthy charitable cause.
Part of the Andes mountain range in South America, the Cerro Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere, rising to 6970 metres above sea level.
Joe?s goal is to reach the summit. It has been attempted several times before by Gibraltarians, although no Gibraltarian has managed to top out. Reaching the top would also make it the highest any Gibraltarian has ever climbed.
Joe is a keen mountaineer having climbed Mont Blanc 4800m in the French Alps and Mt Toubkal 4200m in the Atlas Mountains as well as other minor peaks and routes.
Apart from having to be in good physical shape Joe will be facing the inescapable problem of the reduced oxygen levels at altitude which require a progressive increase in height to allow your body to acclimatise as you move up the mountain.
Furthermore the typical weather patterns usually bring strong winds that can reach 100kph and cause the temperature gauge to register around -25C.
Quite apart from the personal satisfaction of completing this physical and psychological challenge, Joe?s motivation is also to raise funds for the Cancer Research Branch in Gibraltar, and at the same time, having been employed by Barclays Bank for the past 28 years, he feels that he would like to use this opportunity to promote his employers in return by hopefully planting the Barclays Wealth flag together with the Gibraltar flag on the summit.
Needless to say everyone wishes him the best of luck.
*If any one would like to support Joe in any way or make a donation to this worthy cause please contact him on +350 52420 or +350 54006190.
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