Introducing Our Inaugural Movember Adventure Series Team
Movember has always been about being bold. Whether it’s growing a bold moustache to spark conversations or choosing your own bold challenge to raise funds for men’s health, our participants have always been bold. In 2022, we’re going to go even bolder with our first ever Movember Adventures Series trek to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro!
In the spirit of being bold, Movember wanted to offer a challenge that tests our participants mental and physical strength and to do something BIG to raise funds and awareness for our cause. We’ve chosen an incredible team of 10 passionate Movember supporters to hike to the summit - 19,341 ft above sea level – the tallest mountain in Africa and the tallest free-standing mountain in the world.
Our team will train for over 4 months to conquer this challenge along with our trekking partner Embark Exploration Co who will provide the staff and support to help our team reach their goal. Each member of our team has also committed to raising $10,000 for Movember for this endeavor. So, Movember would like to introduce our inaugural team for the Movember Adventure Series 2022: Mt Kilimanjaro! Click the pictures in the upper right to see each team member.
Anthony Rinaldi – Philadelphia, PA – 10-year Mo Bro
Why he’s climbing: In 2019 I took a break from work to tackle some professional burnout and walked the Camino de Santiago through France and Spain. I'm really looking forward to something like this being a similarly unplugged mental and physical challenge. I've also made Movember fundraising a pretty serious part of my life since 2012 so being closer to the brand and starting to shift this to something that is top of mind year-round is a great idea.
Blake Christiansen – Minneapolis, MN – 9-year Mo Bro:
Why he’s climbing: After the year and a half of Covid we all have a somewhat mid-level doldrum…. everyone is in a state of blah. And I have been too. Some of my friends have experienced even more than just a blah. This trek can bring light to the importance of a good headspace and how goals, friends, and adventure can enable anyone to make it to the top. In addition, I want to dedicate the trip to my dad Arnold Christiansen, who died of prostate cancer on September 3, 1999… After a year of battle with the disease.
Caitlin Towers – Washington, DC – 5-year Mo Sister:
Why she’s climbing: I have been fundraising for Movember since I lost my little brother to suicide in 2016. I feel very strongly about this cause and have been running an annual benefit concert for Movember in his honor since 2018. Hiking was a shared passion of my brother and I, and last year I organized regional hikes across the US in the month of November as a part of Movember fundraiser in his honor. I have had the opportunity to tackle big hikes in the US (Half Dome, Grand Canyon, etc.), but never abroad, and would be so excited for that opportunity. I am honored to participate in this hike alongside my fundraising with Movember this year.
Cole McCormack – New York, NY – 6-year Mo Bro:
Why he’s climbing: This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I’m a big believer in the connection between physical / mental / emotional / spiritual balances in life and this journey will push all the scales to some extent. I also want to raise a lot of money for the foundation.
Dennis Muldowney – Raleigh, NC – 12-year Mo Bro:
Why he’s climbing: What I like about this challenge is that it is both physically and mentally demanding. Given what the world has gone/continues to go through with Covid-19, physical & mental health is more important than ever. I really want to use the Kilimanjaro trek with Movember as a great platform to raise even more awareness on the Mental Health & Suicide Prevention aspect of the foundation. The reason I got involved with Movember to start with is due to my brother, Sean Muldowney. He was diagnosed (just after Thanksgiving in 2009) with brain cancer. In 2010, I got involved with Movember to raise funds/awareness for Men's Health and in a small way to think of my Bro. Sean fought the good fight for 5 years and passed away in Feb 2015 at the age of 51. He was a father, husband, brother, son, and an incredible doctor. Every year since 2010 I have participated in Movember and I think of my bro. I think he would love this story, as he was a huge fan of the outdoors, loved skiing, hiking, as he lived in Park City, Utah.
Jack Hasselmann – Brooklyn, NY – 4-year Mo Bro:
Why he’s climbing: I lovethe ability to connect with a worldwide network of people who share my passion for Movember and what it stands for. I have done extensive mountaineering (both on skis and on foot) in my past and this is the chance of a lifetime. I am excited to connect with people both from the Movember community as well as the Tanzanian community.
Nate Collins – New York, NY – 9-year Mo Bro:
Why he’s climbing: This trek, and Movember writ large, deeply align with my core values: family, education, and giving back and the trek layers on another passion of mine - travel. Also, I recognize what an important addition this is to Movember's fundraising efforts. My Movember experience is heavily personal and rooted in my family background. My paternal grandfather immigrated from Canada at a young age and never finished the 8th grade. His son, my dad, sought out the challenge of doing what his father didn’t have the chance to do and ended up with multiple degrees at the bachelor's and master's level. Education was a focal point of my upbringing; not only my own education, but also sharing knowledge with others. Educating the people in my life about men's health issues has been a key aspect of my participation in Movember and an opportunity to live out one of my key values.
My father then joined the Navy to serve in the Vietnam War and met my mom when they were both stationed in the Philippines (Navy and Department of Defense). On a subsequent deployment I was born in Italy, and before the age of 25, I had inhabited sixteen different addresses around the world. Through these experiences, the power of traveling was instilled in me at an early age, and throughout my life has afforded me the opportunity to see many beautiful places and meet people with very different lived experiences than my own. A lot of my motivation around Movember stems directly from my dad. The importance of family, travel, and education served as a common thread throughout all my father’s life, and I view the opportunity to represent Movember on this trek as a perfect intersection of how my dad lived his life and how I strive to live mine. I first participated in Movember in 2013, but the movement became much more meaningful for me when my father, Neil Collins, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2014, and sadly passed away in 2019 in part due to side effects from his radiation treatments. Today, the motivation to raise funds and awareness for men's health is not only deeply personal (and fun, as it is a great excuse to grow a sweet mustache), but also a touchstone with my broader social network and a point of personal pride. Since I have been a part of Movember, I can feel the shift in attitudes around men's health and am immensely proud to play a small role in it.
Reed Harris II – Chesterfield, MI – 9-year Mo Bro:
Why he’s climbing: Once-in-a-lifetime journey to the top to raise the bar (i.e. funds) to help men live happier, healthier, longer lives! 2022 will mark my 10 Year Anniversary of serving as a Mo Bro and Movember campaign lead for Johnson & Johnson. As we continue to navigate the world of COVID-19, many people are dealing with stress, depression, anxiety, loneliness and/or financial hardship; or even worse, the situation has amplified pre-existing stress or mental health issues. Alarmingly, one man dies by suicide every minute of every day. So, I am doing this trek in support of good mental and physical health.
Ron “RT” Monson – Minneapolis, MN – 15-year Mo Bro:
Why he’s climbing: To showcase the great work of Movember on behalf of men in all stages of life. The past year has been difficult for many of us. I have been taking on anxiety and depression. People need to hear that people can get through those challenges and come out on top!
Travis Harth – Seattle, WA – 10-year Mo Bro:
Why he’s climbing: This will be an awesome way to cap off my decade of involvement with Movember (10th year Mo Bro this year). I’m also excited to continue my own self-health journey so I'm there for my daughter (can't see her roll her eye's at me if I'm not around!) and for those who care about me.
You can keep up to date on the team's fundraising journey here (and support their individual efforts at the links above). Look forward to more updates as the team prepares for, climbs, and returns from the summit Mt. Kilimanjaro!