Wittmack brings message of hope, encouragement

GRUNDY CENTER — World explorer Charlie Wittmack talked about perseverance and hope during a trio of local speeches last week.
    The only man to attempt the World Triathlon talked about creating the event and his trials and tribulations while attempting to complete it during a public speech before roughly 100 people Tuesday night. He talked of becoming the first Iowan to climb Mt. Everest and also spoke of taking a group of cancer survivors to the Mt. Everest base camp.
    His speech to local middle school students was about overcoming obstacles on his way to success. The speech focused on learning how to climb mountains while living in Iowa and of his initial Everest ascension.
    “The big hope is that the students think about what their own Everest dream might be,” Wittmack said after speaking to Grundy Center and BCLUW Middle School students. “It may be something academic, it may be something physical, it may be something with their church or something that’s community based.
    “I’m trying to get the kids to think long-term and to think big, and then to start today by working on a progress to get where they are to where they want to be,” he said.
    Wittmack’s visit was financed by County Government Day funding.