Julie has lived in Aspen, Colorado for 20 years. She grew up in S.C. and received her bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in public health. She was a real estate broker before moving to Aspen. She loves her life in the Rocky Mountains. She is a ski instructor for the Aspen Skiing company and has worked for 18 years with the historicWheeler Opera House. For the last 8 years, she has been a house manager for the Aspen Music Festival, and also works at the Great Divide, the only guitar store in town. She plays bluegrass once a week with a group of friends, nameless at this point, who have recently been performing at small functions in town as well. She also sings with the Aspen Choral Society and the Aspen Chapel. Julie has been looking for a cause to donate her time and energy to. She had researched and contributed to the Himalayan Cataract project and Mari’s children.Her good friend Peter Braun had mentioned the Love, Hope, Strength Foundation.The philanthropic and athletic aspects of the trip made it a perfect package for her. She participated in Everest Rocks and Peru Rocks and loved the experiences. The exhilaration derived from the success of raising money for those who would not otherwise receive care, the deep friendships formed, and the adventure experienced are unparalleled. She has enjoyed surfing in Costa Rica, diving in the Caribbean, and paragliding. She loves skiing the Highlands Bowl and hiking Aspen Mountain on dark snowy mornings before sunrise. She has competed in 41 triathlons, including 4 national championships and 6 marathons. All that said, she thinks Kilimanjaro may be the most exciting adventure of all, and can’t wait for the t-shirt!