A journey of hope and spirituality
Jeff Belanger presents ‘The Call of Kilimanjaro’
Get ready to climb 19,341 feet to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro — one of the famed Seven Summits — the roof of Africa, as Jeff Belanger presents “The Call of Kilimanjaro” at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, at the Pompo Community Center, 509 Great Road. This event is hosted by Randall Library.
Based on his memoir, “The Call of Kilimanjaro”, author, adventurer, and TV host, Belanger will take you on a breathtaking multimedia journey of Tanzania that’s spiritual, motivational, and uplifting. An honest and engaging account of one amateur hiker’s journey to spiritual transformation.
“After my brother-in-law Chris passed away from cancer, I made the decision to take the trip of a lifetime, both in honor of Chris and in pursuit of clarity about my own life and goals,” said Belanger.
“The Call of Kilimanjaro”, published in 2021, is
a day-by- day record of Belanger’s ascent to the peak of Africa’s highest mountain. It is a book for all ages — from 10 to 100 — and a memoir for armchair travelers with an interest in spirituality.
It is his hope, says Belanger, that this book teaches you how to take stock of your own accomplishments, “eye the lofty goals you’ve place in front of yourself, and push higher than you ever dared, turning an honest eye toward past, present, and future —
through the end of life and beyond,” he added.
Belanger climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro as part of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training Program, and to raise money for cancer research.
Copies of “The Call of Kilimanjaro” will be for sale at the event, in which a portion of the proceeds will go to LLS to help fight blood cancer.
What he learned along the way transformed his life.
“This isn’t just another
person- climbing- a-mountain story,” Belanger said. “It’s about facing our middle- ages and our mortality.,” he said. “It’s about loss and struggle, but more than anything it’s about hope — that there is always hope in the next step in whatever journey you’re on.”
For information on this event, or to register (which is required), visit https:// www. stow- ma. gov/ randall-library. To learn more about Jeff Belanger, you are welcome to visit his website at jeffbelanger.com.