The Alex Community Health Centre announced former Calgary city councillor and mayoral candidate Jeromy Farkas’ climb for community health brought in about $43,075 in donations. .“I’m thrilled to have completed this challenge, and incredibly grateful to see so many Calgarians come through for such a worthy cause,” said Farkas in a Monday press release. .“The Alex provides vital support to Calgarians in need, and I know these efforts will make a difference in the lives of those facing difficult challenges.” .Farkas said January 10 he would be climbing 25 peaks in 25 days to raise $25,000 for the Alex. .READ MORE: Farkas to climb 25 peaks in 25 days to support community health.“I’ve always been an avid hiker and mountaineer, so when I heard about the incredible work that the Alex does for our community, I knew I wanted to use my passion for the outdoors to support their cause,” he said. .“I’m excited to take on this challenge and raise funds for a cause that is so important for our city.” .Farkas made it to the top of his 25th peak for his charitable initiative on Thursday. .READ MORE: PEAKED: Farkas completes mountain climbing fundraiser for community health.“What they say is true: the best views come after the hardest climbs,” he said. .“Thank you @TheAlexCHC & @McLeodLawLLP for this amazing opportunity!” .The release said Farkas achieved 17,933 m of elevation gain and loss since January 1. This is the equivalent of climbing and descending Mount Everest from sea level twice or climbing and descending the Calgary Tower 114 times. .His journey had challenges, as he faced harsh winter storms, rugged terrain, and frigid cold. Avalanche conditions forced frequent last minute logistics changes to stay safe, including a mid-campaign halt for three days to allow weather to improve. .Thousands of Calgarians followed his adventures on social media. Many people, including CTV News Calgary reporter Jordan Kanygin and Calgary Coun. Evan Spencer, joined him on his climbs. .The release went on to say the funds will be used to support the Alex’s mission to help individuals and families on their journeys from crisis to wellness and to cover the mobile programming providing primary healthcare to Calgarians in need. .It said there are 6,000 Calgarians experiencing homelessness or precarious housing every night, often living with complex health and addictions issues. Many of those people cannot access traditional medical care, but have urgent needs due to unprecedented conditions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, high inflation, and the opioid crisis. .The Alex CEO Joy Bowen-Eyre said with decades of experience in mobile healthcare, the organization knows “being in the right place at the right time is critical to meeting the needs of those who experience barriers to good healthcare.” .“We are ensuring that more Calgarians have access to judgement-free, dignified healthcare, leading to better outcomes to individuals and across the healthcare system,” said Bowen-Eyre. .Farkas’ climb’s information page will remain active until February 9 to allow Calgarians to continue to donate. .“This incredible feat has not only raised much needed funds for our organization, but it also raised awareness about the important work we do,” said Bowen-Eyre.
