Last Tuesday, May 19, the Bishop Climbers Coalition concluded their first-ever Digital Benefit Series. The live online event series was organized as a fundraiser for Inyo-Mono Advocates for Community Action (IMACA) – and successfully raised more than $3000. The series hosted more than 150 attendees from across the country over three events since early May.
IMACA has continued to support our community in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Executive Director Bob Hughes, IMACA went from serving 300 households a month to over 1,200 during the pandemic. The increase of demand for their services has created a huge need for volunteers to support food distribution for families in need from Walker in northern Mono County, to Charleston View in southern Inyo. “Through their volunteering and donations, members of our local climbing community have been an important part of our ability to serve families in need throughout our region,” shared Mr. Hughes.
The Digital Benefit Series was hosted by the Bishop Climbers Coalition via the online platform, Zoom. The May 5 event featured local climber Eric Bissell sharing his story and the importance of mentorship in climbing and in life. On May 12, legacy-climber Mark Hudon and his younger energetic climbing partner, Jordan Cannon, shared their inspiration of climbing and maintaining friendship beyond the boundaries of age. The series concluded with Shelma Jun, founder of the annual Women’s Climbing Festival, sharing her journey through climbing, how she learned to be an ally, and how to respect the people and the places that we recreate.
The Coalition is extremely grateful to all those who supported the event. All three presentations are now available on our website and on YouTube. Click here to watch the shows!