When people think about One Summit, they often picture a child climbing alongside a U.S. Navy SEAL mentor during Climb for Courage. They see courage, encouragement, and a powerful moment of transformation.
What they don't always see is everything that happens between those climbs.
For One Summit, our mission isn't built over a single weekend. It's built every day through relationships that continue long after the climbing wall comes down. Those relationships are strengthened by a unique role within our organization - the Community Liaison.
Serving as the bridge between our Navy SEAL mentors, families, hospitals, community partners, and local supporters, Community Liaisons help ensure that every mentor remains connected, every family feels supported, and every region continues to grow stronger. From recruiting and mentoring new volunteers to organizing community events, building partnerships, and maintaining year-round engagement, they help transform a single day of climbing into a lifelong community of resilience.
Unlike many volunteer organizations, One Summit's mentor community is built on relationships that extend well beyond our programs. Our Community Liaisons check in with mentors, welcome new teammates, create opportunities for connection, coordinate local gatherings, strengthen partnerships with pediatric hospitals and mission-aligned organizations, and help identify new opportunities to expand our impact. They also work closely with our Development, Program, and Marketing teams to ensure every region continues to grow while remaining connected to One Summit's national mission.
At the center of this effort is Giiehti Christian, our West Coast Community Liaison, whose leadership has helped shape and guide the vision for this role. Working alongside One Summit's leadership, Giiehti has demonstrated how investing in mentor relationships strengthens every aspect of our mission—from supporting Navy SEAL mentors to creating deeper connections for the children and families we serve. His collaborative leadership continues to help unify our mentor community across the country.
As One Summit continues to grow, we're excited to welcome Froy Delarosa as our new East Coast Community Liaison.
Froy retired from the U.S. Navy in 2025 after a distinguished 28-year career of leadership and service. Many in the One Summit family already know Froy and his family, who have been part of our community since Climb for Courage in 2014. Since becoming a mentor in 2015, Froy has exemplified the leadership, humility, and commitment that define the One Summit mentor community.
Reflecting on what the mission has meant to him, Froy shared:
"Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of serving alongside incredible teams in demanding environments, but some of my most meaningful experiences have come from standing beside children and families during One Summit climbs and events. Since my first climb in 2015, I have witnessed firsthand the profound impact One Summit has—not only on the children and families we serve, but also on the Navy SEAL mentors who walk alongside them. I have seen kids replace fear with confidence, isolation with connection, and adversity with hope through shared experiences and accomplishment."
Froy has already embraced the role, jumping into community engagement by participating in the Golf Fights Cancer 100-Hole Golf Marathon to help raise funds for One Summit families. His passion for service and relationship-building makes him a natural fit to continue strengthening our East Coast mentor community.
As we welcome Froy, we also extend our deepest gratitude to Aaron Paseur, who helped establish and grow the East Coast Community Liaison role over the past two years.
Aaron's leadership played a pivotal role in strengthening our mentor community, expanding engagement opportunities, and helping establish Virginia Beach as a vibrant center for One Summit mentors and families. Through countless conversations, community events, partnerships, and mentorship, Aaron helped lay the foundation upon which the East Coast community continues to grow.
Looking back on his time with One Summit, Aaron shared:
"Over the past several years as the East Coast Community Liaison for One Summit, I've had the privilege of helping grow and strengthen our community throughout Virginia Beach and the broader East Coast region. I've led five and participated in six Climb for Courage and Climb Higher events. Since coming on board, we've helped double the reach of our programs while continuing to build meaningful relationships through community engagement events, partnerships, and local outreach initiatives. My focus has always been on creating strong connections, expanding impact, and ensuring our families know they have a community standing beside them."
We are incredibly grateful for Aaron's leadership and friendship and wish him every success as he begins his new role with the SEAL Future Foundation. His work has left a lasting legacy that will continue to benefit One Summit for years to come.
At One Summit, every climb begins with trust.
Every mentorship begins with a conversation.
Every community begins with someone willing to build relationships.
Our Community Liaisons make that possible.
Together, under the leadership of Giiehti Christian on the West Coast and with Froy Delarosa now leading our East Coast mentor community, One Summit is better positioned than ever to ensure that every child, every family, and every mentor knows they are part of something bigger than a single climb.
Because resilience isn't built in a day.
It's built in a community.
