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Climb For Kids Team Summits Mt. Elbrus

August 1, 2014 By

Today we are thrilled to announce that CENTURY 21 CEO Rick Davidson and the Climb for Kids team have successfully summited Mt. Elbrus, the tallest peak in Europe!

While the rest of us were fast asleep, the team awoke on climb day at 1:00am and began their summit ascent at 3:00am, starting at high camp. Rick reports that, “The weather was perfect.”

Seven hours and twenty minutes later, the Climb for Kids team reached the summit, the tallest peak in all of Europe.

Every single team member made the summit. Rick shared, “A 100% success rate is a rarity in mountaineering, but the team was strong and pushed through the mental and physical barriers that are ever present on a mountain of this magnitude.”

In this photo below you will see a large pyramid shadow casting into the distance. This was the shadow of Mt. Elbrus as the sun rose around 5:30 am. Rick explained, “This is a spectacular sight and a rarity. In all my years of climbing I have only seen this phenomenon one other time from the summit of Mt. Hood.”

Scott Becker of CENTURY 21 New Millennium, also on the climb, cheered, “All week we had been looking up at the peaks just over the Russian border in Georiga. Today we got to look down at them from the summit of Mt. Elbrus! We returned to base at 3:30pm to celebrate with shish kabobs and a Russian beer (or two).”

This year’s climb team included a very special member, retired U.S. Army Sergeant Benjamin Breckheimer. By completing the Climb for Kids, Benjamin became only the second Wound Warrior to summit Mt. Elbrus. What an incredible inspiration.

Benjamin shared on his Facebook page, “I would like you all to share my story to as many people as you possibly can to show that with the right mindset you can accomplish anything, no matter how many hurdles you have to jump.”

Reflecting on this year’s Climb for Kids, Rick said, “Our goal this year is to raise $100,000 for Easter Seals. We have reached the summit, but we are not there yet and need your help so we can help children, adults and veterans achieve their own personal summits. Please donate – ever dollar goes directly to Easter Seals to serve the community. Thank you in advance for your generosity!”

To help the team celebrate their achievement, donate to the Climb for Kids right now.

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Climb For Kids Team Completes Acclimatization Hikes

July 30, 2014 By

On Monday we shared with you the first update from CENTURY 21 CEO Rick Davidson and the Climb for Kids team as they arrived in Russia. The team is preparing to climb Mt. Elbrus, the tallest peak in Europe.

Today we are happy to report the team is feeling healthy after completing two acclimatization hikes.

Earlier this week the team arrived at base camp in Terskol, Glade Azou, Russia, which is at the foothills of Mt. Elbrus.

To get acclimated to the terrain and elevations, the team climbed Mt. Cheget which is on the border of Russia and Georgia.

This climb is up to 11,000 feet and one of three the team will complete before attempting Mt. Elbrus.  They were able to reach 10,000 feet before being restricted to go higher.

From his satellite phone, Rick has shared with us, “It’s beautiful here. The people are friendly and many from all around the world. We played Frisbee with two Russian children yesterday and spent time talking to two climbs from Pakistan and Bangladesh. We also saw the team from South Korea who we met at the airport. We hope to see them on the mountain.”

While preparing for the big climb up Elbrus, the team met up with a group of climbers from Singapore who are also planning to summit Elbrus.

The woman pictured above to the right or Rick (in blue) has summited Mt. Everest. She has friends who summited K2 this week. There was a U.S. team who submitted K2 this week as well becoming the 13,14 and 15th Americans in history to do so. That team was lead by Garrett Madison, the guide from the Climb for Kids trip to Mt. Hood.

On their final acclimatization hike this week, the team was able to reach 11,000 feet before ascending to high camp.

They caught their first view of Mt. Elbrus.

Rick reports that, “The team was really strong and the weather report says our summit day weather is looking good!”

Want to support the Climb for Kids? The team’s goal is to raise $100,000 for Easter Seals and there is still time to donate. Click here to show your support.

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Climb For Kids Team Heads To Mt. Elbrus

July 28, 2014 By

This week, CENTURY 21 CEO Rick Davidson and the Climb for Kids team boarded planes in their home states and headed for Russia. The team will be climbing the tallest peak in Europe, Mt. Elbrus.

The Climb for Kids team includes two CENTURY 21 System members, Scott Becker of CENTURY 21 New Millennium and Natalia Aulenbacher of CENTURY 21 Freedom Realty.

Also joining the Climb team is retired U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Benjamin Breckheimer.  Benjamin was in rehab for two years following a roadside bombing in Afghanistan. Though severely wounded, he has taken on mountaineering. When asked about his addition to the team, Rick shared, “What an inspiration and what an American hero! It’s no accident that we got connected.”

As the team begins their adventure, Rick is sharing photos with us, live from Russia. Here is a shot of the team at the airport, waiting to board their final connection:

At the airport our team discovered another climb team from Seoul, Korea, who is also planning to summit Mt. Elbrus.

Once in Russia, Rick and the team did a bit of sightseeing and even took a few selfies!

When sharing the below photo, Rick joked, “The market is upside down in this neighborhood!”

Amidst their exploring, the team found the perfect spot to take a group photo.

Next up, Rick and the team will prepare to set up at base camp.

Want to support the Climb for Kids? The team’s goal is to raise $100,000 in support of Easter Seals and there is still time to donate. Click here to contribute.

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Veteran Climber Natalia Aulenbacher Joins Climb With Rick Davidson

July 15, 2014 By

Natalia Aulenbacher of CENTURY 21 Freedom Realty is an outdoor adventure junkie. After moving to Alaska in 2000, she has served as a mountain guide and a rafting guide. Upon learning of Century 21 CEO Rick Davidson’s passion for climbing, she introduced herself at this year’s Global Conference and within minutes, had accepted the offer to join the Climb for Kids team.

We sat down with Natalia to hear more about her passion for the outdoors and how she’s preparing for this year’s trip.

C21: How did you get involved in this year’s Climb for Kids?

NA: I’ve lived in Alaska since 2000. I move here to climb mountains. That’s why I wanted to live in the state. I went to Alaska Pacific University where I received a degree in Outdoor Studies, which was gearing me towards owning my own guiding outfit.

As for this year’s Climb, I knew Rick loved to climb and I had just joined CENTURY 21 a year ago (in March 2013) and so when I found out her was a big climber, I wanted to reach out and talk to him about if the Climb would ever return to Alaska.

When Rick and I met in person at this year’s Global Conference in Las Vegas, we began talking about climbing and then offered for me to join this year’s trip.

C21: Each year the Climb supports Easter Seals. Is this your first time fundraising for the organization?

NA: This is my first time fundraising for Easter Seals. They don’t have as large a presence in Alaska as they do in other states.

C21: We know you love the outdoors, but how did you first get involved in real estate?

NA: When I graduated college I decided to work near Denali as a mountaineering guide. It made me realize that type of climbing wasn’t what I wanted to be doing. I decided to head back where I had worked as a raft guide in the summers. At that point I got very into fly fishing, which is probably the second most popular income generator for Alaska. I wanted to be a fishing guide.

A while later I would up working in Cooper Landing for Alaska River Adventures. I was there for four years when I decided I wanted to ask the owner if I could buy the business and take it over. I started to pursue that, I had three investors and then I had a moment where I thought, “I am buying a job. Why would I do that?” so I put on the brakes. I wound up working there for three more years and that is where I met my husband. He’s the one who introduced me to real estate.

C21: How did your real estate interest develop?

NA: My husband and I started investing in some properties. That lead me to meeting a realtor who recommended I get my real estate license. I spoke to that agent’s broker and I hung my license with them. In the fall of 2012, I officially started working in real estate.

C21: How have the first two years been?

NA: I definitely struggled that first year. The following summer I had a very good year and I’ve been cruising along ever since.  I really do enjoy real estate – helping people purchase and sell. I have built a niche here now. I help people analyze their investment opportunities and make a profit.

C21: We’re happy to have you in the CENTURY 21 System, Natalia. We look forward to hearing the tales of your climbing adventure with Rick and the team.

Natalia, Rick and team are aiming to raise $100,000 in support of Easter Seals. To help the team reach their goal, donate here.

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CENTURY 21 Global Conference: Celebrating 35 Years With Easter Seals

March 21, 2014 By

At the CENTURY 21 Global Conference this week, the brand celebrated an important milestone: 35 years of partnership with Easter Seals. In that time, the CENTURY 21 System has raised over $108 million dollars in support of Easter Seals and the families they serve.

During the closing session of the conference, CENTURY 21 President and CEO Rick Davidson welcomed Jim Williams to the stage. Jim, the CEO of Easter Seals, shared a few words about what this ongoing partnership means to him, to his team and to all the individuals who benefit from Easter Seals programs.

Next to take the stage was Easter Seals Adult Representative, Angela Spraul. Angela’s husband was critically injured while serving our country and spent months in the hospital.

During that time, Angela and her husband enrolled their two young daughters in daycare through Easter Seals. She explained, “Finding good daycare in our area, where we actually felt comfortable leaving our girls, was extremely difficult. Once they started to attend daycare with Easter Seals they were so happy. They loved their teachers and they still ask to go back and visit.”

Then, Angela very bravely shared with that audience that after struggling for months with his recovery, her husband took his own life. She began to tear up and took a minute to compose herself. During that moment, the entire audience rose to their feet to applaud her strength.

In closing, Angela shared that the team from Easter Seals was the first group of people to reach out to her after this tragedy and the team has continued to support her and her girls. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

Following Angela’s incredible story of courage, CENTURY 21 System member John Kersten arrived on stage to present Easter Seals with a check for the dollars raised by his CENTURY 21 office.

This year John and his team raised $923,000 dollars in support of Easter Seals.

2014 brings a new opportunity for you to donate to Easter Seals. For the third time, Rick Davidson will be leading a group of adventurers on a mountain climb (this time in Europe) and every single dollar raised by the climb team will go directly to Easter Seals.

To join your fellow CENTURY 21 System members in supporting our philanthropic partner, visit Easterseals.com/Century21.

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