Alec is the reason this mission exists.

While navigating a difficult moment in his own career, Ryan Kelley spent time volunteering at a local children’s hospital. That is where he met Alec, a young boy battling cancer.

Alec’s fight changed Ryan’s sense of what a fundraising mission could be. Instead of hosting a routine event, he chose a mountain. The climb would be hard, visible, and impossible to ignore.

From that first ascent on Mount Rainier, the foundation learned its core lesson: people rally when the challenge is real and the purpose is specific.

The mission has since grown beyond a single climb. Each new summit creates awareness, attracts corporate partners, and helps direct money where families need it most.

The foundation’s current focus includes directly paying medical bills for families with a child undergoing cancer treatment, while still honoring the outdoor roots that started it all.