Erica Davis, Challenged Athlete

Erica Davis has been an athlete for as long as she can remember.  From the time she sprinted down the street climbing up onto a car to get away from a dog or the time Erica ran across the finish line with her mother hand in hand - she was just three years old!  Since then Erica has played competitive fast-pitch softball, high school varsity football, volleyball, basketball, and softball.  Being in the middle of two athletic brothers also helped with her competitiveness.  Erica also got into triathlons while teaching high school P.E., Health, and coaching basketball in Hawaii – there she got the “bug” of wanting to do the Hawaii Ironman someday.
 
On December 27, 2005 Erica had a microscopic bleed in her spinal cord called a Cavernous Hemangioma which left her paralyzed from the chest down.  24 days in the hospital made Erica wonder if she would ever play sports again.  If you asked anyone who knew her, sports were her life.  A few months after returning home, Erica tried a friend’s handcycle - and her parents saw the first REAL smile on her face since being home from the hospital.  Getting back into physical activities was becoming a reality for Erica.
 
It has been almost 4 years since Erica’s injury and she has participated in more sports than many able-bodied people will do in their lives.  She has competed in 7 triathlons, over ten cycling races, and a few half and full marathons – in which she has won most of.  She has trained at two of the USA Olympic Training Centers and hopes to officially be on the USA Paralympic team in 2012.  And remember her goal of doing the Hawaii Ironman?  Well, she STILL has that goal!  Just because she uses a wheelchair for transportation does not mean she can’t do it.  In fact, Erica does not like the word “can’t”.
 
Erica’s life is not just sports and training.  She currently gives motivational speeches to schools, businesses, clubs, and churches.  She enjoys mentoring newly injured people, sharing with them that this is just a new chapter in their life.  With these new challenges, they actually will be given more opportunities, meet great people, and learn more about themselves than they ever knew before.  Erica says she would actually choose being in the chair, for the time being, than living as if her injury had not happened.
 
Erica is SOOOO excited about the climb, the adventure, and the journey that lies ahead for the team.  She is also excited to be giving back to the Challenged Athletes Foundation, who has given so much to her.  She is proud to be a Challenged Athlete and spokeswoman.  For more information about Erica, read about her at www.helpericawalk.com – Thank-you!

 

 

 

Tara Butcher, Challenged Athlete

Tara Butcher, 27, grew Up in Salt Lake City Utah surrounded by her family which included three brothers whom she adores. Her love for the sunshine and fashion attracted her to Southern California, where she now resides, working and living in San Diego pursuing her passion as a hair stylist.  

Due to a catastrophic car accident in 2005, Tara sustained many life threatening injuries resulting with an amputation of her left leg below the knee. As she recovered and re-learned how to walk, she decided she wanted to push herself and take on a new challenge, running. From there she fell in love with fitness and it's overall affect on her body and mind. She now competes in marathons and triathlons and hopes to run in the Boston Marathon in 2011.

In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family, friends and dog. She also enjoys traveling, meeting new people, yoga, laughter and learning about different cultures. She has a love for life and is fascinated with the way the world turns. She volunteers at various hospitals talking to patients and their family's that have experienced traumatic events. She is also heavily involved with the Challenged Athletes Foundation who have been a great support to her in achieving her fitness goals. Without them, she would not be where she is today.

She is looking forward to her next challenge, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania this coming January. In this journey her goal is to show and encourage those around her that anything is possible. She has learned through her life experiences that anything you want and desire is attainable with enough determination and hard work. One of her favorite quotes that she has used to push herself is by Lance Armstrong, "Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.”

 

Derek Gates, C.H.E.K Institute Marketing Director

Derek, 27, is originally from Grand Island, New York, a small suburb of Buffalo.  Growing up, he regularly participated in many sports including baseball, soccer, football, lacrosse and basketball.  After graduating high school, Derek attended the State University of New York College at Brockport where he earned an International Marketing degree and joined the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity, held the position of President and was a recipient of the Fraternity's highest award for excellence. 

During college, Derek took his love for the water and beach and moved to Corolla, North Carolina, along the Outer Banks where he learned to surf and skateboard.  From there, he has traveled extensively around the United States, including a 6-month trip to Australia and a winter in Vermont.  From there, Derek moved to San Diego and joined the C.H.E.K Institute in March of 2008 as he has always lived a healthy and active lifestyle.

Derek came up with the Fit 4 Kili Climb Project one evening while walking his dog and immediately started producing the contacts to make the project a success.  He has always enjoyed outdoor activities and loves to surf, ski, hike, and to sail and anything that involves his friends and family.  Derek is looking forward to taking his love for the outside to Africa and conquering Mt. Kilimanjaro with Erica, Tara, Penny, Phil, Zack, Chris and Matt and bringing a great awareness to challenged athletes everywhere and that ANYTHING and EVERYTHING is possible!

 

 

 

 

Penny Crozier, C.H.E.K Institute CEO

Penny has Masters degrees in Exercise and Sports Science, Biological Anthropology and Business Administration. Since 1990, she has been involved in all aspects of the fitness industry; from personal trainer and group exercise instructor, to competitive aerobics coach, judge and medallist, to gym manager and professional educator.  She is a certified ski instructor and was the silver medallist in the New Zealand National Multisports Championships in 1994 and 1995. Penny is now the Chief Managing Officer of the C.H.E.K Institute, based in California.

Penny has taught group exercise for over ten years. She specializes in adapting the functional exercise approach of the C.H.E.K Institute to the specific needs of a group format class, particularly in bodysculpting and Swiss ball classes. Her sports conditioning classes, especially snow sports, are also popular.

Penny has written extensively in consumer and industry publications in New Zealand and has presented at industry conventions in Australia, New Zealand and the US since 1995. She has also featured in two of the C.H.E.K Institute’s correspondence course video series and co-hosted the Winner’s Edge Conditioning video magazine in 1997.

Penny had a successful personal training business in New Zealand for several years before moving back to the USA in 1997. Since then, she has led the C.H.E.K Institute to dramatic growth in all areas, worldwide.

In Penny's free time, although not as abundant as she would like, she has an admiration for the outside and enjoys taking runs in the hills and forrests behind her home in Southern California.  She also enjoys to "potter" around her garden when the weather permits.

 

 
Phil Chester, Photographer

Phil, 25, is a freelance photographer and full-time student from Columbus, Ohio. Shortly after graduating high school in 2003, Phil joined the United States Army to help pay for college tuition. Phil was deployed two times, with a 9 month tour in southern Afghanistan and a 15 month tour in Baghdad, Iraq. His jobs entailed everything from personal security of the battalions commander to route clearance and enemy pursuits.

Phil found his true love for photography while documenting his life in Afghanistan. National Geographic even used his photos in their documentary "Inside the Green Berets" which aired on the National Geographic Channel in 2007. Since then he has been shooting as a freelance photographer, working with local businesses, aspiring models and everything in between. He plans to graduate from the The Ohio State University in 2013 with a degree in Athletic Training.

This project is something Phil is extremely humbled to be a part of. Phil says he can't think of a better or more epic way to start the new year than to be a part of this team, climbing one of the worlds most incredible mountains and making the impossible, possible. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zach Ralphs (Zackamanjaro), Overstock.com Customer Care

Zachary can be easily described by telling you his nick-name as a kid – “Zack Attack!”  He is one of those people you can just imagine on the top of a Mountain, feeling the breeze and licking the frost off his mustache…

His origins began in Ohio, but he now resides in Salt Lake City, Utah.  His passions include first his family (he is the all time favorite Uncle to 11 nieces and nephews), then he loves with passion – Disc Golf and Cooking in no chronological order.  His dreams for the future include: participating in the Olympics as a Disc Golfer and his own cooking book/Food Network Show.
 
Add to this a new dream – Kilimanjaro.  It may seem common to use this song – In the movie The Sound of Music the nun sings “Climb every mountain, ford every stream, follow every byway- till you find your dream.”  That sentiment gives a bit of a look into Zack’s soul.  He lives life with hope and actively goes after his goals with hard work and a gigantic smile!
 
In High School he loved football, basketball, and pottery.  Lately ending smoking on 03/03/2009 (square root day) and being a team lead and a manager of Health and Fitness in the customer care department of Overstock.com, has consumed his daily activity.  Basically this is just the best time in life and he makes each day the best one for those around him as well.
 
When you are a part of Zachary’s life you are a part of a fun roller coaster.  You get into his life and you keep your hands and feet in and enjoy the ride.  Literally everyone he shares life with loves his personality and his company.  So – Erica, you are now going to enter the “Zack – Zone” here you will find laughter and true spirit in a true soul.  He is going to prepare for this carry with all of his might and he is mighty!  Welcome to his life!
 
At age 29 he looks to his next year with total excitement – Going pro in the Disc Golf World, the Fit-4-Kili Climb preparation, and Summit Attainment.  In the future, the life goal is to conquer K-2, one of the most difficult summits on earth. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chris Theibert, Captured Life Productions Documenting Team

A graduate of the College of Communication at Ohio University, Chris earned a degree in Video Production in June of 2006. Chris has an advanced knowledge in non-linear video editing which has rendered him capable of producing pieces in all phases and styles of the production process. He is currently relocating to New York City in June of 2009 to further the pursuit of freelance filming opportunities.

With Matt Peters, Chris is currently sustaining the progression of two companies they co-own and created, Captured Life Productions, LLC and Choonimals Clothing Company, LLC.

Captured Life Productions (CLP) is a freelance video company based in Columbus, Ohio dedicated to creating videos with substance above and beyond today's standard and depicting all forms of life in their most natural and undisturbed habitats.

In October of 2008, CLP traveled to Africa to pursue some filming opportunities for a variety of high-end conservationists, including the Cheetah Conservation Fund, Elephants For Africa Forever, Elephant Whispers, The Rare & Endangered Species Trust, Hope Ministries orphanage and wildlife artist and dear friend Anne London of A.E. London Studio. Filming took place in South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia and Cape Town from October the 7th to November the 8th, 2008 and they filmed over 36hrs of HD video and have been posting all of our completed videos onto the companies website.

The Fit 4 Kili Climb is something Chris is humbly honored to have been asked to be a part of, and he looks forward to capturing the beauty, perseverance and strength of the team during the climb to the roof of Africa.

 

 

 

 

Matt Peters, Captured Life Productions Documenting Team

Matt, 25 years old, is a filmmaker from Columbus, Ohio. He graduated from Ohio University's school of Telecommunications with a major in Telecommunications Management and a minor in Business. Matt spent his college years playing guitar in a band, cycling and leading the OU Surf Club. After school, he made his way to Corolla, North Carolina to teach surf lessons - it was there Matt was lucky to work, surf and skate with Derek.

Matt and Chris formed their video production company Captured Life Productions, LLC later that year. The team has since worked on a wide range of projects, including promotional videos for local Ohio artists and videos for charities in southern Africa. Matt and Chris are both eager to again film Africa's beautiful people and incredible wildlife.

Matt and Chris in 2007 formed their second enterprise, Choonimals Clothing Company, LLC, a small, home-based company that has grown into a nationally distributed brand.

Matt currently lives in Mexico City, whose 7,300 ft altitude makes a perfect place to train and prepare for the climb. Matt has traveled to 16 countries and is anxiously awaiting the chance to see No. 17 - Tanzania - from 20,000 feet high.