Brackley Beach, P.E.I. potato farmer Barry Cudmore combined two of his biggest passions this fall: his love of trekking and his dedication to the Island-based non-profit organization, Farmers Helping Farmers. He successfully reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, and along the way, raised thousands of dollars for FHF.
Scroll down for a Photo Gallery from Barry's trip
Cudmore and his wife Ellen were part of the first delegation of Prince Edward Islanders who travelled to Kenya and Tanzania more than 40 years ago. The trip resulted in the formation of Farmers Helping Farmers, and the Cudmores are still deeply involved four decades later. FHF partners with farmers, dairies, womens’ groups and schools to build sustainable agricultural communities.
Climbing Kilimanjaro brought Cudmore back to Tanzania, for the first time since 1981. After a couple of days to acclimatize to the altitude, he began his trek.
He successfully reached the summit of Kibo at 7:10 a.m. October 11, an elevation of 19,341 feet.
It took six days heading up and two days back down, and Cudmore returned to Prince Edward Island on October 13, as planned.
Barry's goal for the trek is to raise funds for Farmers Helping Farmers based on the height that he would be climbing, starting from sea level at his home in Brackley Beach.
Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa, at 19,341 feet above sea level, or 5,895 metres.
Cudmore has set a lofty goal of $19,341, which represents $1 for every foot he climbed.
He will continue to take pledges now that he has completed his trek.
Barry wants to thank the Robinson group of companies (Eric C. Robinson Inc., Island Lime Inc. and the PEI Agromart) for donating $0.10/ft towards his Mount Kilimanjaro Trek in support of Farmers Helping Farmers. They are also challenging other Island businesses to match their pledge.
So far, the fundraising campaign has raised more than $8,000 and Barry hopes that total will continue to climb!!
The Barry Climbs Kilimanjaro is easy to find! You can donate online through Canada Helps. Just click on the DONATE button on the Farmers Helping Farmers website: farmershelpingfarmers.ca
When he is not growing potatoes at his farm on P.E.I.’s north shore, Barry Cudmore has travelled around the world, seeking interesting locations to climb, including Everest base camp in 2019, southern Poland, Mount Katahdin in Maine, and most recently, trails in Denali National Park, Alaska this summer.
Mount Kilimanjaro has been on his bucket list for years, and was in the plans before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The pandemic has also put a damper on the fundraising efforts of Farmers Helping Farmers. Barry and Ellen Cudmore are two of the driving forces behind the group’s annual fundraising beef barbecue at the Harrington Research Station. But it has been cancelled for the last three years, making the Kilimanjaro fundraiser a way to replace some of those lost revenues.
You can find out more about Farmers Helping Farmers on our social media channels:
https://www.facebook.com/FarmersHelpingFarmers
https://www.instagram.com/farmershelpingfarmers/
For more information or to set up an interview, please contact Barry Cudmore:
Phone: 902.629.9784
Email: barrycudmore04@gmail.com
