Kevin Shulman made it to the mountaintop. On Aug. 22, Shulman, a Long Branch resident who had no previous mountain-climbing experience, reached the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the 19,500-foot peak that is the highest point on the African continent.

His effort has raised more than $16,000 for the LADACIN Network, a facility for disabled children and adults.

Shulman, 51, was accompanied on the adventure by his best friend Fred Gesten, a former New Jersey resident who now lives in Hollywood, Fla. (and who had no climbing experience either).

The climbers, who left the United States on Aug. 13 and began the climb on Aug. 16, were on the mountain for a total of nine days before returning to the States on Aug. 26. As Shulman made his way up and down Kilimanjaro, a satellite telephone voicemail system kept him apprised of the flood of donations. Some supporters sponsored him for one penny per foot, or a total of $195. Shulman and Gesten assumed the cost of all trip expenses; all donations were given directly to LADACIN.

Shulman received messages throughout the trip from well-wishers who inquired about everything from the weather to the scenery. The satellite technology enabled him to respond to most of the questions.

"I'm a tired but happy person," Shulman told NJ Jewish News. "While having the adventure of a lifetime, I was also able to raise money for LADACIN, which deserves every donation they can get in return for the wonderful work that they do."

Fittingly, Shulman reached 15,000 feet on the same day that donations reached $15,000, according to Luisa Vroman, the network's director of development and community affairs. LADACIN is still receiving donations in honor of the climb, and all funds will be used to purchase equipment for the network, Vroman said.

With campuses in Wanamassa and Lakewood, LADACIN provides early intervention and educational, therapeutic, social, residential, and support services to 2,500 severely and multiply disabled children and adults.

"Kevin's climb was an inspiration to all of us here," she said. "We enjoyed calling into the satellite phone every day and hearing about the climb. It's heartwarming to know that there are people who are willing to give their time and resources to help others. I'm sure this will inspire others and show that one person can make a difference, whatever the cause."

Although the trip was exhilarating, it also was exhausting, Shulman said. Depending on weather conditions, he and his fellow climbers were on the move between three and 11 hours each day. Most of the daily treks averaged about nine hours.

"There was a steady downpour for the first four days, and it was like climbing a rock wall that was slippery and covered in ice and mud," said Shulman, the founder of Shulman and Associates, a sales and client development training business headquartered in Iselin. "Sometimes, I felt like I was hanging on by my fingernails, and I began to wonder what on earth I was thinking when I agreed to take this trip. But then I realized people were depending on me, and that this was no time to lose my nerve. I was going to make it to the top and back again, no matter what it took."

The encouragement of Gesten, three other climbers, and crew members from Tusker Trail, a Nevada-based climbing concern, enabled Shulman and his group to reach the summit a day ahead of schedule.

"Climbing that last 3,000 feet was every bit as difficult as we expected," said Shulman. "The oxygen got thinner, and every physical effort became a greater challenge. On the way to the top, we climbed through different climate zones — rainforests, an Arctic desert, and a glacier that has already begun to recede because of global warming. At 18,000 feet, the three more experienced climbers needed oxygen. But not the two boys from Jersey! And by 19,000 feet, we all were walking on a sheet of solid ice."

Shulman and his fellow climbers spent an hour on the summit before beginning the trip down Kilimanjaro. The descent turned out to be more difficult than the ascent, he said.

"It was more slippery on the way down," Shulman said. "That meant it was easier to loose your balance and fall."

But despite the difficulty, the climbers suffered no major mishaps in either direction, he said.

"This trip put a lot of things in perspective," said Shulman. "I know I did something that many could not or would not be able to do. But it's good to be home. I don't know when or where my next adventure will take place, but I know it will be at sea level."

Information on services provided by the LADACIN Network, along with donation information, is also available by calling 732-493-5900.