Philanthropist (Central Asia Institute), Author ("Three Cups of Tea"), Mountaineer, Greg Mortenson, to Address Baucus Summit

Senator Says Bozeman Resident Will Deliver Keynote Speech

World renowned philanthropist, high-altitude mountaineer, and New York Times bestselling author Greg Mortenson will deliver a keynote address during Montana Senator Max Baucus’ http://baucus.senate.gov/ second annual Faith Summit in Kalispell on Monday and Tuesday.

Baucus’ 2007 Montana Faith Community Impact Summit will be a venue for leaders motivated by spiritual values, the common good, social responsibility, and a vision for change to work together on issues that affect all Montanans.

Working For The Common Good

Mortenson was a high-altitude mountaineer, who after a failed attempt at the Himalayan peak K2, dedicated his life to building schools, and promoting education and literacy in Pakistan and Afghanistan. He has since started the Central Asia Institute http://www.ikat.org/ , located in Bozeman, which has helped construct 61 schools and educate more than 25,000 kids. Mortenson also co-authored the bestselling memoir “Three Cups of Tea.” http://www.threecupsoftea.com/

“It’s a great honor to be part of the Faith Summit. Senator Baucus has brought together people from all different areas, faiths, and walks of life to share what great things are going on in Montana. And it will be great to come together to share our vision for working together to work for the common good,” Mortenson said. “Senator Baucus has really worked hard to bring folks together to help improve our state, and our world, one person at a time.”

“I’m very excited that Greg is going to be delivering the keynote at the Faith Summit,” Baucus said. “Greg has really put into action the goals of the Summit: helping our neighbors, working for the common good, and making our state, and world, a better place for our children, and our grandchildren.”

In addition to Mortenson, U.S. Senate Chaplain Barry C. Black will return this year as a keynote speaker. Chaplain Black has served as the 62nd Chaplain of the Senate since July 2003.

Coming Together For Our State, And Our World

Baucus’ Faith Summit — to run the afternoon of Monday, October 8 and until 5pm on Tuesday, October 9 — includes panel discussions and grant-writing seminars. Faith Summit invitees include Montana’s faith, community and nonprofit leaders, and is free and open to the public. The Faith Summit will also be attended by a number of regional and national foundations.

Last year’s Faith Summit in Billings drew more than 200 people, and was seen as a “first-of-its-kind” in Montana. The Faith Summit, which will be held at Flathead Valley Community College, is free and open to the public but Montanans are asked to RSVP by e-mailing [email protected] or by calling Baucus toll free at 1-800-332-6106. Additional information can be found at http://www.fvcc.edu.

2007 FAITH SUMMIT HIGHLIGHTS

• U.S. Senator Jon Tester: Montana Senator Jon Tester will provide remarks to the Summit on Tuesday morning.

• Address from Coleen Scanlon: Coleen Scanlon is the Senior Vice President, Advocacy at Catholic Health Initiatives in Denver, Colorado. Colleen has the responsibility for directing the development and integration of a comprehensive advocacy program within one of the largest Catholic health care systems in the country.

• Community Service Project: Senator Max Baucus, and other participants from the Faith Summit, will spend Monday afternoon working at the Boys and Girls Club of Glacier Country. During this time, the group will help build playground equipment.

• Grant Writing Seminar: In order to help Montana organizations secure grants from national philanthropic groups, as well as the federal government, there will be a grant writing seminar taught by a panel of experts, including representatives from major national organizations, and professional grant writers.

• Breakout Sessions: In addition to keynote speeches, a wide variety of break out sessions will be offered to address major topics such as drug abuse, homelessness, and natural disasters.

http://baucus.senate.gov/newsroom/details.cfm?id=285020

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Mortenson: Regular guy gets big results

By KARIN RONNOW Chronicle Staff Writer

When Greg Mortenson was 3 months old, his parents packed him up in Minnesota and took him halfway around the world, to the East African country of Tanzania, where they would spend the next 13 years as Lutheran missionaries in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Full Story: http://bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2007/10/07/news/000guy.txt