Miracle-Ear franchisee summits Mount Everest, raising money for those needing hearing aids
Jul. 16—Julie McKelvey, a Miracle-Ear Foundation board member, completed her sixth of the Seven Summits by scaling Mount Everest on the border between Nepal and Tibet this spring.
The 54-year-old Harrisburg native and CEO of two Miracle-Ear franchises with 34 offices across Pennsylvania, including in Schuylkill County, has combined her passion for climbing and helping others by creating Summit for Sound.
Her organization together with the Miracle-Ear Foundation raises funds to provide hearing aids to adults and children who otherwise can't afford them.
She has raised more than $225,000 to help thousands of people in Pennsylvania receive the devices and a lifetime of free follow-up services.
Summiting Mount Everest makes her part of an elite group of only 4,000 mountaineers (741 women) who have successfully scaled the 29,032-foot mountain.
McKelvey started the expedition on March 30 and summited on May 23 after suffering a serious lung infection and being hospitalized halfway through the expedition.
"This has been the most incredible, scariest and beautiful experience of my entire life, and the support I have received has been overwhelming," McKelvey said in a news release. "I fell in love with climbing five years ago and to be able to summit Mount Everest and the other amazing summits around the world while helping people receive the gift of sound through the Miracle-Ear Foundation has been a dream come true."
Over the last five years, McKelvey has completed six of the seven summits, the others being Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa; Mount Elberus in Russia; Aconcagua in Argentina; Vinson in Antarctica; and Denali in Alaska.
She will soon complete her final of the Seven Summits with Mount Kosciusku in Australia. That would make her one of only 500 people, and fewer than 100 women. to complete all seven summits, which represent the highest peaks on each continent.
"She has followed her dreams and passion along with her philanthropic commitment to change thousands of lives," said Jenni Hargraves, vice president of the Miracle-Ear Foundation, "and serves as a shining example for both our board and our entire organization."
Since 1990, the Miracle-Ear Foundation has provided more than 34,000 hearing aids to 18,000-plus children and adults nationwide. There are around 1,500 Miracle-Ear stores in the U.S.
To learn about applying for a hearing aid, visit the Miracle-Ear Foundation website at www.miracle-ear.com/miracle-ear-foundation. To follow McKelvey's quest and learn how to lend support, visit her Facebook page.
