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‘To Move Mountains’ Non-Profit Group Holding Fundraiser at Local Lion on Friday

By Nathan Ham

A local educational non-profit group “To Move Mountains” has organized a fundraiser that is set to take place this Friday, April 26 from 4-7 p.m. at the Local Lion in Blowing Rock Road in Boone.

To Move Mountains was founded by Ryan Boyette, a former Samaritan’s Purse employee that has made it his mission to try and reach young children in Sudan and be able to provide them with an education that they can take back to their communities.

“Living 15 years in Sudan’s war zone, I have experienced so much. I have seen the Sudan Air Force planes drop six bombs on a school as the children run to the fox holes, but just after the planes leaves I have seen the same students go back to their classes,” said Boyette. “This fundraiser is to support students in the war zone and give purpose to their resilience and dedication to their education.”

The organization is currently working with students in the Nuba Mountains region of Sudan.

“We take kids out of the areas where they’ve grown up and take them to Uganda for education and then take them back to their communities in Sudan,” said John Stephens, the Communications Director for To Move Mountains.

Stephens says they are hosting this fundraiser to also raise awareness for people in the High Country of what exactly their non-profit organization is doing.

There will be music by Matt Rath at the fundraiser, as well as virtual reality headsets where people can watch some of the video footage taken during the group’s work in Sudan.

All of the money raised from this event will go towards funding the education of these children.

“This education program takes several years, it is basically the equivalent of completing high school and the first two years of college here,” Stephens said.

For more information on what To Move Mountains does, visit their website at www.tomovemountains.org.