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Climbing to the Top with George Burnham

Climbing to the Top with George Burnham

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george burnham
George Burnham preparing for his climb at FDIC with some of the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb Steering Committee members.

For most people, taking the stairs is part of a daily routine to get from one floor to the next in a home or office building. But for George Burnham, taking the stairs often means climbing hundreds of stories of a building or thousands of steps in a sports stadium. Over the years, he’s climbed stairs in 33 cities across 27 states. And it’s always for charity.

Never mind that the 72-year-old from Phoenix, Arizona has asthma and underwent bypass surgery in 2012. George is getting ready for the LiftMaster Memorial Weekend Stair Climb at the Charlotte Motor Speedway on Thursday, May 21. The climb benefits the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), an organization that George is very proud to support.

More than a decade ago, George was looking for a way to stay in shape while controlling his asthma and found that climbing stairs suited both goals. In 2013, he heard about the NFFF’s 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb in San Diego. He was impressed by the Foundation’s mission and the dedication of the hundreds of firefighters and citizens who climbed to honor the members of FDNY who died on September 11, 2001.

Inspired by that first climb, he has since participated in climbs in Manchester, New Hampshire, Springfield, Missouri and Indianapolis, Indiana at FDIC.

“The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation is a very worthy cause and I want to help raise more awareness for the organization’s goals,” he said. “I’ve also become very friendly with many of the firefighters I’ve met by doing the 9/11 Memorial Climbs and I look forward to getting to know more people at each climb.”

Join George, and many others, at the LiftMaster Memorial Weekend Climb at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Thursday, May 21. And if you see him, be sure to say hello! He’s looking forward to meeting you.

For more information go to: memorialweek.wpengine.com/event/stairclimb15-liftmaster